All My Ghosts are at Rest
by Zeionia aka Disturbed
Summary: Seven year-old Naruto gets not one but two older brothers who are super-smart and can kick all kinds of butt. His destiny and that of the Elemental Countries will change for the better.
1. The Fox and the Strawberry

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Naruto nor do I make any profit from this work.

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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The first time Ichigo changes Naruto's life, Naruto is seven years old.

He's a little over two years into the Academy but has lots practice dodging all sorts of things and knows that between the rocks and the bottles the drunks are hurling at him the rocks will hurt less. That doesn't mean the rocks don't hurt though, and when one sharp edge bites into his arm, he can't quite stifle his yelp of pain. Naruto thinks some of the angry words he hears adults use and hunkers down covering his head with his arms.

Whenever the villagers make him cry, they start to throw even more stuff and sometimes they try kicking, especially this close to October 10th. He tries not to go out too much in early October—everyone is extra mad at him and it's the one time of the year his masked shadows aren't quite as quick to stop trouble—but Naruto is going to run out of ramen by tomorrow, and he wants to have something to eat on his birthday. He dropped his shopping bag earlier, and he can see crushed noodles beneath the men's feet. He'll have to go back to the store when this is over.

An unfamiliar voice yells out, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Leave the kid alone!"

It's a surprise to Naruto and the drunks both. They stop throwing stuff, but Naruto doesn't look, not yet. The masked shadows don't talk to or around Naruto, but he can't think of anyone else in the village who would stand up for him. No one's done it before that he can remember.

"It's the demon-brat, what do you care?" asks one of the meaner drunks.

There's more shouting and the sounds of a scuffle. When Naruto dares to lift his head, he sees the last of the drunks running away with a kick to the behind. His rescuer is a tall, almost scrawny man with bright orange hair. Orange is Naruto's favorite color. It's a good omen.

The man turns around and his face softens. He crouches down so he's closer to Naruto's height and gives him an encouraging smile.

"I'm Ichigo," he says. "What's your name?"

"Naruto," he says warily. Most of the adults in Konoha know who he is even if they never use his name.

"It's nice to meet you, Naruto-kun," says Ichigo. He glances over his shoulder at the crushed shopping bag. "Did your parents send you to the store?"

Naruto lowers his eyes and shakes his head. "Don't got none."

"Ah," says Ichigo. "You're doing your own grocery shopping? You're very grown up."

Naruto lifts his head in surprise. Most people call him a brat. Even Teuchi and Ayame, who are his second and third favorite people after Sandaime, call him a cute little kid. No one's ever called him grown up before.

"Since you're so grown up, do you think you can help me?" asks Ichigo. "My cousin and I just moved to Konoha, and I got lost on my way to the grocery store. Can you show me where it is?"

Naruto uncurls from his crouch and stands up all the way. If this guy just moved to Konoha, no wonder he doesn't know Naruto's name! And he needs Naruto's help!

"I can do that!" says Naruto. "I have to go back anyway."

Ichigo stands up too. "Lead the way."

Naruto immediately sticks out an arm. "Hold my hand so you won't get lost."

He knows it's dumb, but he's never had anyone hold his hand and walk with him before, not even the Hokage. Naruto wants to know what it feels like just once, and Ichigo saved him from the guys beating him up, so this seems like the best chance he's going to get.

Ichigo very solemnly takes his hand and holds it in a firm warm grip. "I'll try not to get lost."

Naruto tells the story to Iruka three days later, when his teacher takes him out for his birthday. It's the first time anyone has ever bothered to celebrate Naruto's birthday, and he thinks this will be his best year ever.

The second time Ichigo changes Naruto's life is two weeks after their first meeting. Naruto answers a summons to the Hokage's office where there are two other people waiting. One of them is very familiar. The other is pale with dark hair and looks a lot like an Uchiha despite his glasses. But Naruto has never seen him before, so if he is an Uchiha, then he's not part of the village police.

"Ichigo-san!" crows Naruto, almost more excited to see him than Sandaime. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Naruto," says Ichigo.

"Naruto," interrupts the Hokage. "This is Kurosaki Ichigo and Ishida Uryu. They moved to Konoha a month ago looking for other members of the Uzumaki Clan."

Naruto's mouth drops open. Does that mean he and Ichigo are family? "I'm an Uzumaki! Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Naruto is the last living Uzumaki in Konoha," explains the Hokage. "He is attending the Academy to become a shinobi, a defender of the village."

"Yeah! I'm going to be Hokage one day! Believe it!" cheers Naruto.

Ichigo and Uryu exchange amused glances with each other, but they don't laugh or say it's a stupid dream like his classmates do, and Naruto decides Ichigo is pretty much the nicest person ever and his cousin is probably the same. (Later he decides Ichigo is the grumpiest nicest person ever, while Uryu is the nicest grumpiest person ever, and Naruto's opinion goes unchallenged for the rest of their natural lives.)

"That's an admirable dream," says Uryu.

"What does admirable mean?" asks Naruto.

"If something is admirable, then it's worthy of respect," explains Uryu. "It's a good thing."

Naruto grins broadly and immediately decides Uryu is okay in his book. "Yeah! That's right! It's a good dream!"

"Naruto, Kurosaki and Ishida have been granted Konoha citizenship and will be staying in the village. Since you are family, you can live with them if you want," says the Hokage smiling kindly.

"I can?" asks a shocked Naruto. Sandaime has picked his last three apartments because mean people kept finding them, so the idea that Naruto gets to choose is a huge surprise. "Really?"

"Really," says the Hokage.

"There's enough room?" asks Naruto anxiously. "That's why I had to leave the orphanage. They ran out of room for me and other kids needed my bed."

Ichigo and Uryu look at each other again. A very different kind of look this time. A look that makes Naruto a little nervous. Uryu turns away to stare at the Hokage, who remains unruffled, but Ichigo squats down so he's eye-level with Naruto. His face is as solemn and serious as it was when he took Naruto's hand the other day, and that makes Naruto feel a little better.

"Ishida and I bought a big house in the civilian district. There's a lot of room. More than the two of us need by ourselves," says Ichigo. "We'd be very happy for you to live with us as long as you want, Naruto-kun."

"Yeah! I'll do it!" says Naruto. He's so excited that he might start crying. "I've never lived in the civilian district before. Why did you buy a house there?"

"I needed space for a workshop separate from the house, and the only place available was in the civilian district," says Ichigo.

"What do you work on?" asks Naruto.

"My family is famous for our fireworks," says Ichigo. "When you get a little older, I might teach you how to make your own."

Naruto's mouth drops open in surprise, and he's too wound up to talk. He throws himself at Ichigo, who doesn't flinch or shake him off but sweeps him into a big hug. Naruto might even be crying but that doesn't matter. He's knows this will be the best year ever.

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END.

I want Naruto to have a childhood where he can learn to his full potential!

Background head-canon for this story is that Ichigo and Uryu were both strong enough that once they hit twenty-five they stopped aging, which was more inconvenient for Uryu the surgeon than Ichigo the police officer. After a few decades and despite a hard-earned mastery of stage makeup, they gave up on living the human world and moved to Soul Society, where Ichigo learned to make fireworks from Kukaku and Uryu ran a clinic in Rukongai.

But after a century or so, Central Chambers started getting twitchy about these two Captain-level non-shinigami living in Rukongai, so Kukaku offered up this map/scroll that one of the Shiba ancestors created to travel from Soul Society to her original dimension (the Elemental Countries). Ichigo can use chakra thanks to his ancestor but Uryu doesn't even have chakra coils, and the Hyuuga are all convinced he's some super elaborate puppet-genjutsu creation no matter what the medic-nin say.

Thanks for reading. Please review!


	2. Lessons Learned

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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Iruka knows that Naruto is still adjusting to life with his new guardians, but it is obvious to everyone that his circumstances have vastly improved. Naruto comes to school everyday, even if he still skips a class or two. Naruto turns in the majority of his homework, which is finally legible if still unrefined. Naruto brings a healthy lunch and most of it ends up in his stomach instead of on a classmate's head.

That makes it all the more unfortunate that Naruto's first prank-gone-bad happens while Kurosaki-san is out of town. Naruto has grown close to his cousin very quickly, but he is less certain of his relationship with Ishida-sensei. Part of Naruto is afraid that Ishida, who has known Kurosaki-san so much longer, will decide Naruto isn't worth the trouble and that Naruto will end up on his own again. Iruka doesn't think that will happen, but he doesn't know either of Naruto's guardians well enough to be certain it won't.

The target of Naruto's prank, a civilian-born student, Miyamoto Chousei, looks bored and mildly embarrassed. The skin around his eyes is only faintly pink, having faded over the past few hours, and makes him look like he's been crying. On the other hand, his mother glows with incandescent rage. In an unsubtle show of favoritism, Iruka seats Naruto directly behind him, so the boy doesn't have to see the woman's glares while they wait for Ishida-sensei to arrive.

"Why isn't he here yet?" snaps Miyamoto-san.

Iruka catches Naruto shivering, stuck between bristling and bowing his head, and feels his sympathy for the woman wane even further.

"As I explained earlier, Ishida-sensei is in very high demand at the hospital and has arranged for Naruto to stay late. I sent him a message when you asked for a meeting, but I doubt his schedule allows for much flexibility," says Iruka calmly.

As Iruka understands it, the initial fervor over Ishida-sensei's appointment to the hospital has only increased since his arrival. In addition to being a skilled general practitioner, the man is a master surgeon who doesn't require chakra to work, only supplemental medical technology and a complement of nurses. He is popular among civilians _and_ high-level shinobi who have developed resistance to healing chakra.

Nonetheless, after the first week of life with his new guardians, a week where Naruto showed up to class wet and covered in trash almost everyday, Ishida-sensei began escorting Naruto to the Academy in the morning while Kurosaki-san picked him up in the afternoon. Their presence had stopped the assaults on Naruto from the civilians and improved Naruto's standing among his classmates, who noticed his lack of adult guardians and blamed Naruto for their absence.

Currently, Kurosaki-san is away from the village on a mercantile expedition. It's the first time he has left Konoha since taking in Naruto, and their routine is unsettled by his absence. Ishida-sensei has shifted his working hours forward for the duration of the trip, which means he drops Naruto off at the Academy very early and picks him up long after the other children have left. For other children, the extra time at school would be a punishment, but Naruto usually spends the mornings training in the yard and the late afternoons slowly picking through his homework and doesn't complain. Iruka sees no problems with this arrangement. He always arrives early to open the building and stays late everyday to finish up his lesson plans. But today the wait is agonizing.

When Ishida-sensei finally arrives, Iruka glances at the clock and realizes he's a full fifteen minutes early. The doctor must have received Iruka's message and raced from the hospital to get to the Academy so fast, yet he looks as tidy and unruffled as ever. Iruka doesn't believe that man is actually a simulacrum as the Hyuuga claim but he can see where they're coming from at times like this.

"Iruka-sensei, Naruto-kun," says Ishida politely as he steps into the room. His eyes glance over the Miyamotos and he greets them with a distant nod. He returns his attention to Iruka and Naruto. "What happened?"

"That _child_ assaulted my Chousei without provocation and almost blinded him. I demand he be punished," says Miyamoto-san.

Iruka can practically hear the word "monster" in her tone, and he sends a warning frown in her direction. In addition to being insulting, she's hovering on the edge of revealing an S-Ranked secret. Iruka wasn't the only one to notice the near substitution. Naruto sinks even lower into his seat. Ishida-sensei's mask of polite interest turns to stone. Even Chousei looks incredulous at extent of his mother's fury.

Ishida turns his attention to his ward. "Naruto-kun, will you tell me what _she_ —"

"Miyamoto-san," offers Iruka ignoring the venom in Ishida's tone. It's no less than what she used to describe Naruto.

"What _Miyamato-san_ is talking about?" asks Ishida.

"I put a tiny dye-bomb at Chousei's seat during lunch, so when he sat down he'd get splattered. But he ducked his head down real fast to get into his bag and some of it got in his eyes by accident," says Naruto.

"My son could have been blinded," insists Miyamoto-san.

"It wasn't that strong!" protests Naruto bursting out of his seat in indignation. "And it was just vegetable dye! There wasn't any itching powder mixed in or anything!"

Iruka sends a small, silent prayer of thanks that Naruto had decided against using itching powder. Chousei wouldn't have been blinded by that either, but he certainly would have been miserable all day. From the expression on his face, it looks like Chousei knows it too. His mother does not appreciate this show of restraint in the slightest and looks ready to leap over Iruka to attack Naruto. In contrast, Ishida-sensei looks like he might crack a smile with the right provocation.

"Itching powder!" screeches Miyamoto-san. "Something like that requires severe punishment."

"Miyamoto-san," says Ishida coldly. "No one will be punishing Naruto for something he did _not_ do. I cannot imagine how you think that is a reasonable request."

Miyamoto-san backs down thwarted by Ishida's logic and intimidated by the harshness of his voice.

"Naruto," says Ishida in an infinitely gentler tone, "why did you booby trap your classmate's desk?"

Naruto looks down and mumbles an answer. Iruka misses it entirely, and judging by the flicker of annoyance on Ishida-sensei's face, he does too, because at that same moment Miyamoto-san yells in outrage.

"Reason? He doesn't need a reason! The boy is a pest. He constantly disturbs the classroom with dangerous pranks. I've heard all about it from my boy and his friends!"

"Miyamoto-san, be quiet," snaps Ishida-sensei.

To Iruka's surprise, the woman's mouth shuts with an audible click. Instead of beginning a new rant, Miyamoto-san pales and recoils as if she has been struck. Iruka doesn't feel any chakra or killing intent emanating from the doctor, but he can't imagine the woman silencing herself voluntarily.

Ishida-sensei nods in satisfaction and turns to Iruka. "Iruka-sensei, would you mind if Naruto and I step into the hall to talk privately for a moment?"

"Of course not," says Iruka keeping a worried eye on Miyamoto-san. Her cheeks are beginning to redden with anger again. Whatever Ishida-sensei had done was wearing off.

Ishida-sensei ushers Naruto out into the hall. Miyamoto slowly gathers herself, though her son doesn't seem to have noticed her sinking spell at all. Iruka will have to note the oversight in Chousei's records. If the boy doesn't monitor his _mother_ 's health when she's fighting for him, will he monitor his teammate's on the battlefield?

After a few moments, Ishida-sensei steps back inside with Naruto sticking close to him.

"Naruto-kun, tell Iruka-sensei what you told me," says Ishida-sensei.

"Chousei poured orange juice on my head during taijutsu practice yesterday," says Naruto quietly.

"My son would never—"

Miyamoto-san starts to talk but Ishida-sensei cuts her off with another glare. From the guilty look on Chousei's face, the story is true. But Iruka will wait until Naruto is finished to tackle that problem.

"Keep going, Naruto-kun," says Ishida-sensei.

"I told Honda-sensei about it. He asked Chousei if it was true. Chousei said no. Then Chousei said I was trying to cool off and must have poured juice on myself instead of water because I was dumb. Then Honda-sensei left!" says Naruto. There are hot tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He doesn't have much practice at defending himself and is letting emotions overtake him. "Honda-sensei didn't even ask anybody else what had happened, even though everybody saw and laughed at me, and he didn't tell Chousei it was bad to call people dumb!"

A wave of hot anger sweeps through Iruka though he controls is tightly. He has no doubt Naruto's story is true. Sadly, the boy is a terrible liar. Iruka will petition the Academy board to censure Honda. He isn't sure how far his petition would go—Honda is one of the Academy's longest serving taijutsu instructors—but he has to try. It's one thing for teachers to encourage competition. It's another thing entirely to allow bullying in the classroom.

"Thank you for explaining, Naruto-kun," says Iruka solemnly. He turns to his other student. "Chousei-kun, I want you to tell me if Naruto's story is true. If you tell me it's true, you'll receive a day of suspension for bullying. If you tell me it's not true, and I find out you're lying when I investigate, then you'll receive worse. Do you understand?"

Chousei struggles with himself for a moment and glances at his mother. She's still glaring at Naruto and seemingly oblivious to the story she's just heard. Chousei lowers his head. "I poured juice on Naruto. He was complaining about the heat. I thought it would be funny."

"Thank you for being honest, Chousei-kun," says Iruka. "Now tell me, did Honda-sensei do what Naruto said?"

Chousei shrugs listlessly. "Yeah. I mean, you and Hanako are the only teachers who pay attention when people pick on Naruto."

Iruka takes a calming breath. It doesn't do much to calm him down. "I see. Thank you for explaining."

"This doesn't change what that _boy_ did to my Chousei!" interjects Miyamoto-san.

"No, it doesn't," says Ishida-sensei over any retort of Iruka's. "Naruto-kun, I think you should apologize to Iruka-sensei for getting caught and making a mess in the classroom."

Everyone else in the room stares at him in shock. Even Naruto and Miyamoto-san are allied briefly in their confusion.

"Ah, Ishida-sensei?" asks Naruto nervously.

"Naruto-kun, you appealed to your teacher, the class authority, for justice, and he failed you. So you sought your own justice. That's perfectly normal. You even refrained from seeking vengeance by adding itching powder to your trap, which shows restraint. But if you're really training to be a shinobi, then you should have committed to using a shinobi mindset," explains Ishida.

"Commit to a shinobi mindest?" repeats Naruto faintly. His confusion is plain for all to see.

Ishida-sensei nods. "Shinobi have to do sneaky things for the village without anyone ever knowing who was responsible. How did people know you were the one who pranked Chousei-kun?"

"I yelled, "gotcha" in class," admits Naruto.

"If you hadn't done that, would anyone have known it was you?" asks Ishida-sensei.

Naruto frowns. "I don't know. Probably. I do a lot of pranks."

"If you stop claiming your pranks out loud, people won't automatically know you were responsible. They'll have to work to figure it out," says Ishida. The fact Naruto is a known prankster doesn't seem to bother him at all.

"But if it's like getting back at Chousei for the juice, how will people know?" asks Naruto.

Ishida-sensei's glasses flare. "You can make your prank fit the crime. Like how your hair and clothes were stained with juice and you stained his clothes with dye. Even if other people didn't know, I suspect he could figure it out."

"Huh," says Naruto. "What's the difference between justice and vengeance?"

"It can be a thin line sometimes," says Ishida. "We'll ask Kurosaki about it when he comes back. He's very good at justice."

"Okay," says Naruto sounding cheered by the thought.

"Now don't forget to apologize," says Ishida-sensei.

"I'm sorry for getting caught, Iruka-sensei. You're teaching me to be a ninja, and I wasn't very sneaky about it. And I'm sorry I got dye all over the desk. I made a mess," says Naruto bowing.

"Apology accepted, Naruto-kun. But you'll still need to stay after school one day to write lines," says Iruka. He's still in shock from the turn Ishisa-sensei's lecture had taken. The man isn't wrong exactly, but civilians are supposed to be more moral and less practical thank shinobi. That's how the world works.

"Next week," says Ishida-sensei firmly. "Naruto already has to stay late this week. Staying late next week, when Kurosaki is back, will emphasize the point. And Naruto-kun, you need to apologize to your classmate too. He may be your comrade one day and you want to be able to work with each other."

Naruto turns to Chousei, whose gaping mouth reflects his mother's perfectly. "I'm sorry for pranking you," says Naruto grudgingly. A little more sincerely he adds, "And for getting dye in your eyes. It was just supposed be on your clothes."

"Thanks," says the stunned Chousei.

Miyamoto-san chooses that moment for one last rally of vitriol. "You do not need to accept an apology from that—"

"Shouldn't Chousei have to apologize for dumping juice on my head?" asks Naruto at his regular volume. Any timidness he had seems to have evaporated with Ishida-sensei's approval of his actions.

Ishida-sensei raises a brow. "We are all products of our environment," he says after a moment.

Iruka almost chokes. Miyamoto-san splutters in outrage. Naruto and Chousei are both obviously confused by this bit of old people wisdom, but Chousei takes the initiative anyway.

"Sorry for dumping juice on your head," he says quietly. "And for calling you dumb. You're not dumb. That trap was really good."

"Really?" asks Naruto suspiciously.

"Yeah," says Chousei sounding oddly enthusiastic. "I didn't even notice. Like, if it had been a kunai. I really would have been blinded or maybe killed!"

Miyamoto-san shrieks and collapses onto the floor. Chousei yelps in alarm and reacts quickly enough to cushion her head. Iruka and Ishida-sensei exchange disbelieving looks. Civilians can be utterly precious about the strangest things. Then Ishida-sensei sighs heavily and kneels to check on her.

Naruto and Ishida-sensei leave after Miyamoto-san rouses. From what Iruka can overhear, they are going to Ichiraku for dinner. Iruka has to give Miyamoto-san an ungentle reminder that students are not allowed to quit the Academy unless they are permanently injured or fail the graduation exam at least twice, but Chousei, deciding his mother has embarrassed him enough for one day, leads her home before she can work up another round of shouting at Iruka.

Iruka takes a moment to sit at his desk and relax. It is a very brief moment. The terrifying conversation between Naruto and Ishida-sensei keeps replaying in his head. How hard will it be to catch Naruto at his pranks now that he is going to actively hide his responsibility for them? And what did Ishida-sensei mean when he said _Kurosaki_ is an expert on justice? What does that make Ishida-sensei?

There is at least some good coming out of the meeting. Ishida-sensei is making an official complaint about Honda-sensei (and possibly every other teacher except Hanako and Iruka) which will give Iruka a starting point for his petition of censure to the board. And Iruka thinks hopefully, it is even possible that Naruto is on his way to making his first ever friend.

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END.

Iruka is the first Leaf-nin to realize that Ishida is completely and utterly terrifying, but no one believes that the doctor with no chakra is a serious threat until it's too late.

Ishida is going to train Naruto to be cunning, and Ichigo is going to train him to be honorable, and everyone else is going to have to deal with the headache that causes.

I was trying to focus on other stories, but the muse inspires what it wants. (Including present tense. Why, O muse, why?)

Thanks for reading. Please review!


	3. Those who Train and Train

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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Sakura sighs heavily and pokes at the collection of cosmetics in front of her. Normally, she would be happy to play with her mom's makeup but today…

She sighs again and glances at Naruto and Sasuke. The boys learned a new grapple during their split lessons. Sakura is already far enough behind in terms of physical abilities. She doesn't want to spend time on girls' stuff when she could be training to keep up with her friends.

A warm hand comes to rest lightly on top of her head. Sakura tilts her head back to meet Kurosaki-san's concerned gaze.

"Is everything okay, Sakura-chan?" he asks.

"It's fine," says Sakura lowering her eyes again.

"Those are an awful lot of sighs for _fine,_ " says Kurosaki-san gently.

Sakura sits quietly savoring the feeling of an adult paying attention. She isn't like Naruto-kun or Sasuke-kun. She still has her parents, and she knows they loved her. But ever since she decided to attend the Academy and become a ninja, they have become a little more distant, a little more confused about who Sakura is. They are civilians who don't understand the warrior their daughter is becoming.

Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei don't have that problem. They have only every known her as Naruto's friend and fellow ninja-in-training. Whatever lives they lived before coming to Konoha—and Sakura knows in her bones that they are more than just a fireworks maker and a civilian doctor—let them see the girl she is now and the shinobi she will someday be. None of the other civilian-born children in their class have that. She's not sure if the shinobi-born ones do either.

"I don't want to do my homework," admits Sakura at last.

"Why not?" asks Kurosaki-san. He doesn't sound surprised or disappointed. Just curious. It's such a relief.

"We had split lessons today," explains Sakura.

"I don't know what that means," admits Kurosaki-san.

"The boys got extra combat practice and the girls had kunoichi lessons," says Sakura and the words sound bitter to her ears.

Kurosaki-san chokes on air and emits a garbled burble. Sakura glances up at him in concern. Kurosaki-san has gone all pale. There's a flicker of anger in his eyes and his mouth twists like he's bitten something sour. He's wearing almost the exact same expression as her mother did when Sakura told her about the split lessons. The similarity shocks Sakura and makes her wonder what's so upsetting about kunoichi lessons.

Kurosaki-san is much better at hiding his feelings than Sakura's mother. When he notices her watching, his smooths faces into polite curiosity. Any hint of negative judgement is gone. Sakura is impressed. Successful shinobi have to learn how to control their features or risk getting caught during infiltration missions. Sakura has a bad habit of letting her irritation show. She blames her overly large forehead which highlights her pulsing veins.

"Did you not like your kunoichi lessons?" asks Kurosaki-san. His tone is completely neutral.

Sakura looks down at her lap. She has laced her fingers together without noticing and they've gone completely white from being squeezed so hard.

"They weren't too bad, I guess," mutters Sakura.

"But?" asks Kurosaki-san.

"But all we did was etiquette lessons and walk around with stuff on our heads and learn how to put on makeup!" cried Sakura. "I already know how to set a table and how to put on makeup. I'm a girl! And Ino and Hinata were better at _everything_. And the boys…"

"What about the boys?" asks Kurosaki-san patient as ever.

"The boys got extra combat practice! They learned a new grapple. I'm already so far behind Naruto and Sasuke in combat. How can I catch up while I'm wasting my time with etiquette lessons and makeup!" demands Sakura.

Hot wet drops fall onto her clenched fists. Sakura looks down and is surprised to find that she's crying.

Only this morning Sakura was excited to attend the girls-only lessons. She wants to be a strong kunoichi, a person other girls can admire the way Sakura admires Ino. But she feels cheated instead. She doesn't want to become a good kunoichi at the expense of being a good shinobi.

To her shame, a small part of Sakura is embarrassed that she came after Ino _and_ Hinata in their exercises. In their usual lessons, she is close to matching or passing both Clan-girls. But today Sakura fell behind in an easy lesson that even a _civilian_ woman could execute flawlessly. Her mother is a perfect hostess. She would have tsked over Sakura's imprecise place settings and wobbly balance just like their kunoichi-instructor.

Kurosaki-san lets her cry. He waves off the boys when they notice her distress and rubs her back during through worst of her sobbing. But he doesn't tell her to calm down or that there's nothing to cry about, so she lets the tears flow until they stop.

When she finishes, Kurosaki-san hands her handkerchief and a glass of chilled fruit juice. Sakura accepts both with relief and cleans her face. She drains half the juice and presses the cool glass to her hot cheeks. Her face goes all red and blotchy when she cries and it clashes something awful with her hair. Sakura tries very hard not to cry where anyone can see.

"Thank you," Sakura says once she can get real words past her throat. "I know it's dumb to cry about coming third." Today she was worse than third in a lot of things, but she doesn't want to think about it any more.

"It's not dumb," says Kurosaki-san firmly. "You're under a lot of pressure to do well, and unlike civilian students your age, you're learning vital survival skills."

Tsubame-sensei said something similar at the start of the lesson. Sakura hadn't paid as much attention as usual. Too disheartened by the lack-luster lesson plan to listen properly.

"I think you are making one mistake though," says Kurosaki-san.

Sakura tenses again and looks up at him miserably. He could spot a mistake already?

Kurosaki-san smiles at her, the smile he reserves for Naruto and Sasuke when they've had an accident but can't bear to be scowled at, and Sakura wonders what she looks like to deserve that expression.

"Don't compare your progress to Naruto and Sasuke or any of your other classmates. Use them to set goals if you want. But when it comes time to judge your progress, compare yourself to Sakura of yesterday or last week or last month," says Kurosaki-san.

"What do you mean?" asks Sakura.

"Can you run longer and faster than you did this time last year?" asks Kurosaki-san.

"Of course!" says Sakura.

"Do your kunai hit with more accuracy? Are your punches stronger?" asks Kurosaki-san.

Sakura nods firmly. She is much better at both of those activities especially after becoming real friends with Sasuke and Naruto.

"Can you go through your kata faster than when you learned them? With fewer mistakes? Can you form all the hand-signs for jutsu without skipping any or saying the names?" continues Kurosaki-san.

"I can!" says Sakura. "I can do all of those things!"

"Then you're progressing, Sakura-chan. Don't worry about not being as strong as Naruto or as accurate as Sasuke or even as practiced as Ino or as balanced as Hinata. Focus on becoming the best version of Sakura and you will succeed," says Kurosaki-san.

Sakura can feel her heart swelling. "I can do that."

"Good," says Kurosaki-san firmly.

Sakura looks down to hide her face. She's happy and embarrassed about it. Being a civilian-born student means that her teachers and parents are always surprised when she's the best in class at anything. It's nice to hear someone saying Sakura will do well just because she's her. She catches sight of her mother's makeup and her mood sinks again.

"I still don't want to do my homework," she admits.

"What do you have to do?" asks Kurosaki-san.

"We're supposed to use the makeup we have around the house to alter our appearance," explains Sakura. "Tsubame-sensei showed us. She cleaned off half of her face and looked completely different!"

Kurosaki-san nods wisely. "Good contouring can do that."

Sakura's jaw drops.

"Actually, that's a pretty important lesson for the boys to learn too," says Kurosaki-san. He raises his voice to yell across the yard. "Naruto, Sasuke, come get something to drink!" He looks at Sakura. "Have them teach you the grapple they learned today. Then after Ishida gets back we can all go by the pharmacy and pick up the basics. I don't think that foundation matches your skin tone."

"You want me to teach Naruto and Sasuke to put on makeup?' asks Sakura dubiously. She's not going to ask how Kurosaki-san knows about the foundation with just a glance. Her mother had said the same thing.

The boys are in hearing range for Sakura's question. Naruto yelps in dismay and Sasuke stumbles to a halt.

"Sometimes you won't be able to chakra on a disguise or you'll have someone nearby who can sense it," says Kurosaki-san with the voice of experience. "Ishida and I can help you if you need it, Sakura-chan. And I bet your mom knows how to contour too."

Ishida-sensei and Kurosaki-san have helped her before with things like this. Ishida-sensei had even come by her house last year and explained to Sakura and her parents that a "diet" for a young shinobi was a calorie-rich, nutrient-packed meal plan and not a traditional civilian weight-loss program. Sakura had needed more food than a civilian child her age not less. Since then planning out the family's weekly meals had become one of the few ways Sakura could still bond with her mom. If this makeup thing worked out, maybe they could share another.

"Okay," says Sakura not totally convinced but willing to try.

Sasuke and Naruto are more dubious. They are perfectly willing to show Sakura the new grapple and the three of them tumble across the yard, practicing on each other, but they plead for intervention from Ishida-sensei when he gets back from the hospital.

Ishida-sensei puts his foot down, agreeing with Kurosaki-san that the boys should learn this skill too. Sakura doesn't know why Naruto or Sasuke would expect otherwise. And they all march out to the closest pharmacy to buy cosmetics.

Shopping together is always fun. Naruto and Sasuke are dismayed at how much stuff a woman needs to look nice, but Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei aren't remotely phased. They even buy a few things for Sakura, including new foundation and contouring brushes, but mostly they point out things that Sakura might want to look at with her mother.

Sakura is equally grateful for the money they spent on her and for the money they didn't spend knowing she'd want to share this experience with her mom. Everyone tells her that boys aren't sensitive and men aren't much better, but with Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei as an example, Sakura has high hopes for Naruto and Sasuke.

At Naruto's house, which Sakura still catches herself thinking of as a small mansion until she remembers the entire Uchiha compound lying empty, Sakura coaches Naruto and Sasuke through cleaning their new brushes and tools and applying makeup in just the right way to disguise their bone-structure.

Kurosaki-san applies his own cosmetics, ones he already owns and retrieves from the bathroom before they begin, with a deft hand. Sakura had guessed but now she knows he's done this before. Predictably, his half-painted face—the other half left clear for comparison—looks much better than hers and way better than either Naruto or Sasuke manages. Sakura doesn't mind as much as she thought she would.

In comparison, or maybe as a lure, Ishida-sensei breaks out a box filled with what Tsubame-sensei calls "the good stuff" or professional grade stage makeup. When he finishes, and does his entire face, Ishida-sensei looks a lot like himself if he were fifty years older. He is very dignified.

"Those are nice wrinkles, Ishida-sensei," says Sakura. They're not overdone and they follow the natural path of his face. She's pretty sure Tsubame-sensei would be impressed if he saw.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan," says Ishida-sensei. "I've had some practice."

"Who taught you, Uryu-sensei?" asks Sasuke.

Ishida-sensei pauses in putting the last of his facepaint away. "Eriko-san was a friend of mine and a stage-makeup artist for a theater troupe I made costumes for. I asked her how do this specifically and when she saw I was good at it, she force-fed me the rest of it."

Sakura isn't surprised that Ishida-sensei had made costumes once upon a time. There's a whole hobby-room full of different clothes he's made and fabrics for clothes he will make. He's even embroidered some of her and Sasuke's clothes. Sakura does want to know why Ishida-sensei wanted to learn how to make himself look old when it doesn't sound like he did acting himself.

"Do you know how to do that, Ichi-nii?" asks Naruto.

"I do," says Kurosaki-san.

His face also looks a little older but also distinctly feminine. Sakura realizes it's because he followed her instructions so exactly. Tsubame-sensei was teaching a classroom full of girls how to look like different, more mature girls. They'll learn how to make themselves look more like boys in a later lesson.

"But, I already knew how to do this," continues Kurosaki-san gesturing at his face, "from teaching Karin and Yuzu."

Sakura stills at the names. She knows from Naruto that Kurosaki-san used to have two little sisters but that they passed away a long time ago, and that his mother died when they were all young, and that Kurosaki-san's father wasn't bad exactly but that he desperately needed a co-parent. (Sakura has a feeling that was a quote from Ishida-sensei rather than an observation Naruto made on his own.) Kurosaki-san almost never mentions the twins directly. Ishida-sensei is usually the one to explain how Kurosaki-san's knowledge or actions relate to sisters.

Now that Sakura thinks about it, she can guess why Kurosaki-san wasn't bothered by her sobbing all over him this afternoon. Her father usually panics and directs Sakura to her mother when she starts crying. Kurosaki-san probably had to help his sisters with that too after their mother died.

"I always wondered who taught you how," says Ishida-sensei.

Kurosaki-san accepts a hand mirror from Sasuke to reexamine his face. There's not enough room in the bathroom for all of them to fit, so they are using the few mirrors that can be scrounged up from around the house.

" _Online videos_ for the basics," says Kurosaki using his unintelligible foreign words. "Soi Fon for the hard stuff."

Ishida-sensei almost drops his makeup box. Only his lightning fast reflexes save what is sure to be several hundred to several thousand dollars worth of damaged goods.

"She did not!" protests Ishida-sensei. "Soi Fon hated you!"

Kurosaki-san shrugs casually at this accusation. "I think she thought I was a security risk."

Sakura suppresses a squeal of dismay or possibly excitement. She exchanges a wide-eyed look with Naruto and Sasuke. They almost never hear this much about Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei's past in one sitting. When asked directly about these sorts of things, they both change the subject or give long winding answer that make no sense. This is an unprecedented opportunity!

"For Soi Fon that was essentially the same thing," says Ishida-sensei.

Kurosaki-san doesn't bother to deny this. "Anyway, I asked Yoruichi how to the makeup thing. I figured she'd know being the Shihoin Princess and super _onmitsukido_. She ordered Soi Fon to teach me instead."

Ishida-sensei subsides at this explanation. "That at least makes sense." He squints at Kurosaki-san. "Did she try to poison you?"

"Only a few times," says Kurosaki-san.

"What?!" yells Naruto. "Someone tried to kill you?"

Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei both blanch having obviously forgotten they have an audience. Sasuke and Sakura both scowl at Naruto, but he's too busy being upset over a clearly non-fatal poisoning attempt.

"It's was a long time ago. And I'm fine now," says Kurosaki-san mirroring Sakura's own train of thought. "You all keep practicing and I'll get dinner ready. Are you eating with us, Sakura-chan?"

"Please, Kurosaki-san," says Sakura. "That way I can practice more too."

Kurosaki-san nods and all but runs away. He's even forgotten to take his makeup off so half his face still looks like the slightly older woman version of himself. At least, Ishida-sensei has the sense to excuse himself clean up.

When the adults are gone, Sakura and Sasuke both whirl on Naruto.

"I couldn't help it!" he protests. "Who would even want to kill Ichi-nii?"

Sakura hates to admit it, but that's a good question. Kurosaki-san is unequivocally a good person. Everyone who meets Kurosaki-san ends up liking him or at least respecting him.

"Someone who thinks he's a security risk," says Sasuke slowly.

"This is a shinobi village," says Sakura pointedly. "Shinobi are paid to kill just as many bad people as good people."

Naruto looks dismayed for a brief second. Sakura suspects that spending too much time with Kurosaki-san has twisted moral compass strongly to the good despite Ishida-sensei's near-sinister campaign of vengeance against the Academy teachers. (It hadn't taken Sakura long to realize why the school had such a high turnover rate among the teaching staff once she became friends with Naruto. Luckily Iruka-sensei was qualified to teach at all levels.)

"Whatever, it was a long time ago," says Sasuke looking away from them both.

Sakura starts and then feels sweeping shame. Sasuke knows better than any of them that good people are targets of shinobi. Uchiha Itachi had killed his entire clan, except for Sasuke, and most of them were police or civilians. Naruto, too, picks up on this mood when usually he'd worry them to death about the possibility of someone hurting his Ichi-nii.

"Show us how to do this again, Sakura-chan!" insists Naruto. "I bet we can look like completely different people by the time dinner's ready."

"You'll need more time than that to practice!" protests Sakura. "It's not like you're drawing an exploding tag!"

"Hey, I practiced at that and got really good," says Naruto. "I can do this too."

"Well, I'm going to do it better," says Sakura.

"You're on," says Naruto. "Sasuke, you in?"

Sasuke huffs in annoyance but uncurls from himself and picks up his own brush. "There's no way either of you are beating me."

Naruto and Sasuke lose sight of the goal of doing better and both try to finish applying their makeup first. They're both disasters when they're done. Then they attack each other with liquid eyeliner and Sakura guesses they really won't be recognizable at all by dinner.

Sakura chooses to take her time with her makeup. It is her homework after all. She needs to give it her best effort. When she's done, she compares the right side of her face to the left. The lines are little cleaner. The various powders blended a little more evenly. It's a small but noticeable improvement.

Sakura smiles into the mirror and makes progress.

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END.

I have many more Sakura feels than I initially realized and do not accept the retcon that her parents were weak shinobi instead of civilians. That way lies madness and illogical character development.

As a doctor, Uryu got to the point where people were suspicious of his young looks much faster than Ichigo, who was a police officer, and had to do something about it fast. Ichigo got the idea from Uryu and rolled with it.

Thanks for reading. Please review!


	4. Old Dog versus New Tricks

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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Kakashi looks up from the memorial stone and curses quietly to himself. Judging by the length of the shadows, it is well past midday. He meant to keep the brats waiting but not this long. Then again, if they aren't there, he can say they failed to obey orders and skip the bell test all together. If Sandaime doesn't approve, he can give the brats to a different jounin instructor.

To Kakashi's disappointment, the kids are still waiting and they aren't happy about it. One of them, probably Naruto given the kid's documented propensity for pranks, has stuck a chalkboard eraser in the door frame. Kakashi doesn't smell any itching powder and white chalk can't be seen in his grey hair. He half-hopes they'll be so disgusted by his failure to dodge that they'll give up and go home.

Kakashi opens the door. The eraser bounces off his head. Naruto, sensei's living legacy, falls to the ground laughing. The civilian girl, Haruno Sakura, is trying to keep a straight face, but the bright shine of her eyes betrays her amusement. Sitting on top of the desk behind her, Itachi's little brother, the last Uchiha, looks quietly dismayed by Naruto's success.

"My impression of you is…" Kakashi glances them over, evaluating their clothing and readiness for battle.

Naruto wears a dark-orange, long-sleeved tee with the Uzu-spiral sewn onto both shoulders and dark grey shorts. He has a dark blue vest with tiny silver crosses on the collar that otherwise mimics the green chunin flak jacket. It pockets are stuffed full of prank supplies. He wearing a pair of orange-tinted goggles across his forehead and his hitai-ate is wrapped around his left upper arm. His coloring is all Minato-sensei but the shape of his face and his smile are all Kushina.

Uchiha dresses in one of his clan's traditional training outfits, a dark blue shirt with a wide collar, white arm braces with large silver crosses circling each forearm, and long shorts. His hitai-ate is in the proper position guarding his forehead. He is solemn and quiet but not the budding mass of hate most of ANBU had predicted he would become after his brother's betrayal. His hands are deftly tucking the away the ends of a French braid in his teammate's hair.

The civilian girl is odd. Her pink hair and pale green eyes will attract a lot of attention once she grows up a little more. For now, she chooses to draw the eye with a modified cheongsam in dark-red with silver crosses embroidered along the bottom edge and dark-green capris. They aren't the bright colors a child would normally choose, but red is still a color all but the strongest shinobi will avoid. As Kakashi watches, she ties her hitai-ate like headband, tucking the knot snug against the bottom of the braid. At least she seems unmoved by her broody classmate's attention, which is a good sign.

Kakashi kicks himself mentally for looking for positives, wonders idly why they all have crosses stitched onto their clothes, and prays that they will fail soon so he can retreat back into ANBU. Nobody, but especially not these kids, needs his presence hanging over them like a curse. At least in ANBU, death is never a surprise.

"I hate you," says Kakashi. "Meet me on the roof for introductions."

After telling them his name and essentially nothing else of value, he points to Naruto. "You go first."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! My likes are ramen, especially Ichiraku ramen, but Ryū-nii won't let me eat ramen everyday. My dislikes are the three minutes it takes ramen to cook and fresh vegetables. But ones cooked in ramen broth are okay! My hobbies are watering plants and learning to make fireworks from Ichi-nii. My dream for the future is to protect my precious people and to become Hokage!"

Kakashi blinks slowly. It seems Naruto never kicked the ramen habit even after moving in with his guardians. Given how much Naruto's parents had enjoyed eating at Teuchi's ramen stand, Kakashi isn't exactly shocked. Naruto sounds happy. That's a good thing and another reason for Kakashi to say away.

"Next, the girl," says Kakashi.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. I like stories, especially weird ones like Uryū-sensei and Ichigo-san tell, and I dislike spicy foods. My hobbies are playing trivia games and competing with Ino and Hinata. My dream for the future is to prove my strength as a kunoichi and to master all five elemental chakras."

Kakashi raises his eyebrows in a silent expression of surprise. That is an impressive dream, especially coming from a civilian. If she shows any promise at all in the survival test, he will suggest Sandaime find her a female mentor until a spot on a new genin team becomes available.

"And last," says Kakashi.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. My likes are... my friends. My dislikes are sweet foods. My hobbies are taking walks and training. My dream for the future is to re-establish the Uchiha and to achieve justice for my clan."

Clear and concise, which is unsurprising from an Uchiha. They were once known for being remarkably direct with outsiders. (Non-clan members generally weren't worth the effort of intrigue.) Sasuke's Academy assessment says he is standoffish, but he doesn't seem to have any objection to Naruto or Sakura. The fact that he has made friends after what he witnessed is almost a miracle in itself. Maybe he takes after Obito rather than Itachi.

Kakashi mentally sprints away from that line of thought and retreats into the familiar pre-genin hazing script he has perfected and refined over the years of failing genin teams. He doesn't tell the children that due to a higher quality of Academy instruction five teams are expected to pass this year. There's no need to to get their hopes up.

After leaving the new Academy graduates to stew in their fear of failure, Kakashi finds himself at a loss for things to do. He has already visited the memorial stone, and he tries not to do that more than once a day lest he lose too much time. Gai is usually up for a challenge, but he always gets squirrely when Kakashi has a genin team to fail. It's almost like Gai thinks it's a good idea for children and Kakashi to exist in close proximity to each other.

Abruptly Kakashi remembers that as a jounin instructor he has access to the village's surveillance files on his charges' families. He has never bothered to look at the files for his previous potential students, but this is a perfect chance to see how Kurosaki Ichigo and Ishida Uryū act around Naruto when Kakashi isn't on guard duty. If he goes now, Sandaime might believe him when Kakashi says he intended to teach Team 7 until they failed the bell test. Perfect.

In the morning, Kakashi plans to check if the children have gathered at 05:00 as he had instructed, then stop by the memorial stone and give an update, and then wander back around ten or eleven to begin the bell test. Those plans are derailed slightly when after his shower he finds a wide streak of bright orange in his hair.

Naruto must have added dried paint or ink to the chalkboard eraser as a secondary prank. Kakashi can't use a transformation to hide the color. According to their Academy tests, all three can dispel a simple genjutsu. He will have to wash his hair again to get the dye out, maybe more than once. Kushina would have loved it. Kakashi is glad he only has to deal with the brat for a few more hours.

When Kakashi finally makes it to the genin, after several attempts at washing his hair and finally breaking into ANBU HQ to requisition some of their more potent dissolving agents, it is time to begin the bell test. He tells himself that he does not derive any additional satisfaction nor feel avenged by the disheartened looks on their faces when he reveals two and only two bells and tells them the rules.

Before Kakashi can send them off, the girl gasps. "Oh!"

Sasuke and Naruto both look at her in alarm, but something in her expression must reassure them. Kakashi can practically see their eyes fill with hope. The change unnerves Kakashi though he is careful not to let it show or ask himself why.

"Did you think of something, Sakura-chan?" asks Naruto.

"It's Method 2," says Sakura firmly.

That means absolutely nothing to Kakashi, and for a brief moment, she seems to have stumped the boys too.

Sakura huffs and points at herself. "Method 3." She jerks at thumb toward Sasuke. "Method 1."

That still means absolutely nothing to Kakashi, but the boys pick up on her meaning this time and nod eagerly in agreement.

"Sakura-chan, you're brilliant," says Naruto.

Kakashi narrows his eye. He's never seen a group of Academy graduates so friendly after hearing the rules of the bell-test. If they aren't going to take this seriously, he'll fail them without hesitation.

"We'll start when I say go," says Kakashi reminding them of his presence.

The children snap to attention and slide into ready stances. That is somewhat better, but Kakashi isn't prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt, even if one is sensei's son, the other is Itachi's little brother, and the last is unburdened by any personal ties to Kakashi.

"Start," says Kakashi.

At his word, all three race for the treeline. To his surprise, instead of separating or turning on each other, they gather together in a huddle. Kakashi considers creating a shadow clone to spy on them, but ultimately he decides it's too much of a hassle. Instead Kakashi pulls out the latest installment of Icha Icha and keeps track of their chakra signatures.

After about ten minutes, the children go their separate ways. Kakashi surprises himself by feeling disappointment. The Hokage has forced new graduates on him for years, and none of them have ever demonstrated true teamwork. Occasionally, two children would team up and abandon the third. When that happened, Kakashi showed no mercy.

A quarter of an hour passes while the brats run through the trees and undergrowth stopping occasionally with no definite pattern. Kakashi starts to think he'll have to go in after them if he wants the test to finish today when, to his dismay, the three of them proceed to regroup.

Kakashi considers what he knows about the three wannabe genin and tucks his book away. Naruto is a prankster, the Uchiha has his clan's fire jutsu, and the girl, well, if she wants to master all five elemental chakras, then she's likely found a way to learn at least a few by this point. Kakashi will be fine, but Icha Icha is only paper.

The three graduates charge out of the trees. They're in a straight line, spaced decently apart, but he can't take down all three at once with anything less than a killing blow or overpowered jutsu. For some reason, the girl is at the head of the line despite being slower and weaker than either of her teammates.

Kakashi is ready to call the test when the girl trips. But she lands in a textbook perfect fall and rolls smoothly out of her teammates' path. When Sakura slaps the ground, Kakashi sinks into the ground up to his ankles.

Naruto charges past her without stopping and flings something at Kakashi face. The decision to dodge or knock the item out of the way is taken from Kakashi's hands when it explodes violently several meters away from Kakashi's face. The distance doesn't matter. Kakashi is blinded and partially deafened by the flash bang.

Kakashi senses Naruto divert to one side and feels the familiar build up of chakra that proceeds the Uchiha' Great Fireball Technique. It had been one of Obito's more successful jutsu and between his old teammate and Itachi, Kakashi has a decent grasp of how large and how hot the fireball is going to be. Sasuke's fireball isn't hot enough to kill him outright, but it is large enough to cover Kakashi's entire body and produce some nasty burns.

Part of him is tempted to switch with one of the brats, but Naruto is too chakra-dense and Sakura won't recover easily from a blast like that. Even he's not a enough of a bastard to maim a child during a test. Instead, Kakashi reaches out and substitutes himself with a suitably large log on the edge of trees.

Kakashi can feel the wires wrap around him as soon as the jutsu settles. He's lucky that he wasn't moving when he began the substitution jutsu and that the trees are laced with basic tripwire and not razor wire. He hasn't set anything off or been ripped to shreds.

Kakashi's eye hasn't recovered entirely from the flashbang. Neither has his sensitive hearing. He doesn't know how well any of the brats sense chakra or if they can at all, but he can't stand in one spot waiting for them to find him. He can sense the brats coming, but he can't sense whatever the wire around him is attached to. He carefully raises his hand and pushes up his forehead protector to reveal his sharingan eye. This isn't the first group he's tested that's forced him to use his gifted eye, but it is the first group that brought it out so early.

Kakashi scans his surroundings. He can't see the field clearly from his position, but he doesn't see anyone approaching his position. There are several taut and slack lines surrounding him. Kakashi cuts through the slack wires first.

At least five pounds of chalk dust explodes over Kakashi's head. Fortunately none of it gets into his eyes, and his mouth and nose are well-protected by his face mask. He still has to resist the instinctive urge to sneeze. The chalk is definitely laced with something, and the smell of it irritates Kakashi's nose.

Kakashi makes the executive decision to slice through all the wires surrounding him and jumps straight up with a chakra-reinforced leap. A brace of shuriken blasts through the place Kakashi was standing and a second incendiary device goes off underneath him. None of the attacks he's seen so far are lethal for someone at his level, but Kakashi can't deny the brats are taking him seriously.

Kakashi lands briefly in a tree before heading back into the center of the field. The trees aren't safe, not with how long he gave the brats to set up traps. He passes out of the treeline and barely manages not to gape. Somehow, they've flooded the entire field with water. Probably dropped the ground level increase the size of the lake and maybe added more water. Naruto would have enough chakra reserves to do something like that.

Kakashi touches down with just enough chakra to keep upright on the waves and almost tips over when the surface beneath him pushes back. Nearby a cloud of pink smoke shoots into the air, and Kakashi hears a startled yelp. It's a genjutsu covering the ground, not water, and it's a strong one. But now that Kakashi knows the genjutsu is there, he can disperse it with a brief manifestation of will.

Naruto is sitting ten feet away looking dazed by whatever trap Kakashi had set off with his chakra-covered soles. Kakashi starts to move toward him, but the sound of running feet draws his attention. Sasuke his making an unreasonable amount of noise as he runs at Kakashi, intentionally redirecting Kakashi away from Sasuke's downed teammate toward an active threat. Kakashi turns to face the boy head-on, ready to test the last Uchiha's taijutsu acumen, but Sasuke pales and stops, his attention fixes on Kakashi's face.

Kakashi has forgotten to cover his sharingan-eye in all the excitement. He mentally congratulates the caster of genjutsu and reminds himself to recommend whichever brat made it to Kurenai. She'll have her hands busy with her genin team but talented genjutsu users are a rarity to be cultivated.

Kakashi slides his forehead protector back down. His other eye has recovered, and he doesn't need to waste that much chakra in a fight with pre-genin. Sasuke stumbles a step backward, still shaken by the unexpected sight of the sharingan. Kakashi moves to attack him anyway. There can't be any hesitation in battle.

"Kakashi-sensei, suck it!" shouts Sakura.

Kakashi whirls on his heel, struck by the girl's audacity. For his trouble, he receives a jets of water to the chest. It's strong enough to blast him back several feet. Sakura doesn't have enough chakra to supply the steady stream, but Kakashi can see that she's not making the water itself, only redirecting water from the lake.

Kakashi performs a jutsu without hand signs. Given the distance and the distraction of the water, it takes more chakra than he would like, but he drops Sakura into the ground up to her chin. It's the same jutsu she used on him when the fight began only much stronger.

There's another startled squawk from Naruto and then he and Sasuke both blaze past Kakashi to help their teammate. They don't even make a glancing pass at the bells, though from their positions, it's clear they were preparing to attack Kakashi from behind.

Kakashi doesn't try to attack them either. His skin is has turned raw and red, and Kakashi is drowning in the sensation of burning. The chalk powder had been mixed with some kind of dehydrated acid, which was reactivated by Sakura's water jutsu. Much of the powder has been blasted off by the high-powered stream, and as a chemical base, chalk naturally neutralizes much of the rest, but there's still enough acid left for Kakashi to feel it.

Kakashi takes a brief moment to tell himself he skin isn't burning just itching. It works reasonably well. He's not in agony by any means. He refocuses on the brats.

Sakura is talking Sasuke through the hand signs necessary to loosen the dirt around her, so they can pull her out. Naruto has armed himself with a pair of kunai and assumed a guard position between Kakashi and his teammates.

Kakashi meets Naruto's gaze through his goggles and begins his attack.

By time lunch rolls around, Kakashi has kicked all three pre-genin up and down the field together and separately, trapped them all in individually tailored genjutsu, dumped them in a pit of slime, and sent all of them flying into the trapped woods. The three brats are panting and exhausted, and Sakura really did throw up, but she aimed at Kakashi when she did and came closest to grabbing the bells out of all three of them.

Kakashi ties both Naruto and Sasuke to the logs and tells himself he's making a point not being petty.

"I'll give you have an hour to eat, Sakura. Then the three of you will decide who's advancing to genin and who isn't. Don't untie your teammates," says Kakashi then he disappears from their sight.

Kakashi doesn't bother warning her not to feed the boys. They've demonstrated so much teamwork over the past two hours, that they've blown all previous contenders out of the water. Kakashi will have to pass them. At this point, all Kakashi really needs is to hear their reasoning for working together. The half-hour is a buffer between Kakashi and the reality of becoming a jounin instructor.

"We've only got one bento, but I can split it three ways," says Sakura.

Sasuke snorts and Naruto shakes his head vigorously.

"Nuh-uh!" shouts the blond. "You threw up. You need the food. I've got some ration bars I can get to when we're free."

"And if Kakashi-sensei doesn't give us time to set up like he did this morning?" asks Sakura. "I can't last against him on my own."

"You eat half and split the other half between us," says Sasuke. "But you eat your half first. Who knows when Kakashi will come back?"

"Feed Sasuke before me," adds Naruto. "I've got plenty of chakra left."

Sakura accepts this logic and tucks in to the bento. The boys argue battle plans while she eats, then Sakura critiques their plans while she feeds Sasuke, and Sasuke comes up with rebuttals to Sakura's critiques while she feeds Naruto. Their best plan is for Sasuke and Sakura to pin down Kakashi while Naruto harvests the traps left in the woods for supplies.

Kakashi has a horrifying vision of himself walking into the Hokage Tower covered in neon paint and feathers and decides he's heard enough. He reappears in front of them in a flash of lightning. None of them look frightened by the special effects but they do look suitably impressed, which soothes Kakashi's pride.

"You've all done a good job this morning," says Kakashi and it's not even a lie.

If Kakashi had wanted to kill them, the brats wouldn't have stood a chance. But when Kakashi limited his skills to a level the kids could come close to matching by working together, they had given him a solid workout.

Kakashi ignores his still burning, ahem, _itching_ skin and removes the bells from his belt. The acid had left them tarnished, but they still jingle daintily when he waves them in front the genin.

"Unfortunately, I still only have two bells," he says gleefully. "Who among you will advance to become true genin?"

There is a long silence as the three look from one to another. Kakashi is pleased to note they are taking his threat seriously this time. But instead of leaning away from each other, they lean in together, even Sasuke and Naruto tied to the posts as they are.

Sasuke is the first to break. "Naruto and Sakura should pass."

"No way!" yells Naruto. "That's not how it's going down, duck-butt!"

"Yeah, Sasuke-kun needs to advance. Then Naruto and I can fight for the other position!" says Sakura.

"Oh! I was going to suggest fox-hunter-headman, but a fight would be better!" agrees Naruto.

Somehow, Kakashi hasn't anticipated this reaction. Though maybe he should have, since they passed all of the other teamwork tests with flying colors.

"Explain your reasoning," says Kakashi. "Sasuke, you go first."

"I'm an Uchiha. Even if I have to repeat another year, no one will doubt I'm a strong shinobi, and since I am familiar with the Academy's workload, I can use the extra time to focus on my clan's techniques. But Sakura and Naruto don't have that advantage. They need to advance to genin, so they can stay competitive with other shinobi our age," says Sasuke.

"Hmm," said Kakashi. It's a remarkably well-thought out and practical answer. And mildly alarming, given that the least theatrical Uchiha Kakashi has ever known was Itachi. "Naruto, your turn."

"Part of Sasuke's dream is to restore the Uchiha, and that means being recognized as clan head, and Sasuke can't be recognized as clan head until he's an adult in the village, and he can't be an adult in the village unless he's a real ninja or really, really old!" says Naruto. "For me and Sakura, we both want to be there, but no part of our dream that will be held back like that if we don't become genin now. So we'll fight and see who wants it more, right Sakura?"

Sakura nods vigorously. "That's right, Kakashi-sensei! We're not just teammates, we're friends! And friends support each other. So if one of us has to stay behind, the other two will still be there, waiting for them to catch-up. All three of us are going to be Konoha-nin, but Sasuke's the only one who needs to walk away as one today."

The only redeemable thing about this situation is the bright, tomato-red of Sasuke's face as he blushes and fails to remain stoic in light of his friends' support. Kakashi _is_ going to have to pass them. They have earned it completely. He is about to be sidelined as a jounin instructor for an indefinite period of time. He needs to tell Obito, Rin, and Minato-sensei. They're probably already laughing at him from the afterlife.

"You pass!" he says with a genuine smile. True, the smile is hidden behind his facemask, but it's completely genuine.

The three of them stare at him in shock. Not quite the reaction he is anticipating.

"Uh, which of us pass, sensei?" asks Sakura tentatively.

"All of you pass," says Kakashi barely containing an eyeroll. There are the happy smiles. "Konoha shinobi are driven by the Will of Fire, the desire to protect and fight for the village and our comrades. It is what makes us the strongest of the Hidden Villages.

"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that's true, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. I see great potential in all of you."

"Woo-hoo!" yells Naruto. He slips from his ropes with ease and sweeps Sakura and Sasuke, who has also escaped, into a spiraling hug. "Method 2 for the win!"

Naruto steps back and held up a hand for a high-five. Sakura blushes at the praise but slaps his hand with gusto.

"Nice catch, Sakura," adds Sasuke. He holds up a hand too.

Sakura blushes a bit more for Sasuke than she had for Naruto but doesn't hold back the strength of her high-five. Her actions remind Kakashi of Rin, who never let her crush on Kakashi interfere with her desire to be a strong ninja. A wave of regret and dismay—and a tiny kernel of fear that he would lose this team too—threatens to overwhelm him.

"What is method two, exactly?" asks Kakashi scrambling for a distraction.

"Ichi-nii said there are three ways to make friends!" explained Naruto. "Method 1 is asking somebody over to share a meal, and sometimes you need to ask more than once. It's for situations when fighting won't work."

"Uryū-sensei calls it the breaking their spirits with kindness method," added Sasuke.

Kakashi recalls that Sakura had referenced Sasuke as a method one. Is that how Naruto and Sasuke became friends? Kakashi has been out of the village more often than he was in it since the Uchiha Massacre. By the time he was back on Naruto-watch, Sasuke had become a frequent guest at the Kurosaki-Ishida-Uzumaki residence.

"Method 2 is fighting alongside someone, covering their weak spots, or fighting for them if they can't," continues Sakura. "It's the friendship-through-teamwork method, and sometimes it means fighting for someone else even if it doesn't benefit you directly. When you said there were only two bells for the three of us even though you said nine graduates would pass, I thought a teamwork test made sense."

"Well-spotted, Sakura. Being able to think logically and recall sensitive information under pressure is one of a shinobi's most valuable tools," says Kakashi honestly. "What's method three?"

Sakura's look of delighted shock at Kakashi's assessment promptly turns into a deep scowl. She glares at the two boys, who look completely unrepentant. Naruto's smile stretches wide at her glare and Sasuke smirks.

"Method 3 is when you beat friendship into somebody," explains Naruto.

"What?" asks Kakashi flatly while Sakura huffs and rolls her eyes.

"It's when you fight someone with all your might to show them the strength of your convictions," clarifies Sasuke.

"It's for making friends with enemies or people you don't have any reason to trust," says Naruto. "But it only works if you're both alive at the end, so Ryū-nii said we probably couldn't use it as much as Ichi-nii has."

Kakashi had found the files on Naruto's guardians to be sparse at best. What little information the files do contain does nothing to explain this situation.

Kurosaki Ichigo is related to Naruto through a shared Uzumaki ancestor. He makes fireworks, a specialty of his father's clan. Since settling in Konoha, Kurosaki has developed a range of smoke grenades and flash-bangs that are very popular among jounin and chunin with enough extra pay to spend on quality products. He sells civilian-quality pyrotechnics throughout the Elemental Countries and makes a tidy profit.

Visual assessment from Naruto's ANBU guard corroborated with evaluations by various Academy instructors indicate that Kurosaki has some hand-to-hand combat experience, definite skill with bladed weapons, and a steady hand with a calligraphy brush. He is brash and direct but also unquestionably kind to anyone he perceives as needing protection. There is no indication that Kurosaki has ever beaten friendship into anyone.

Ishida Uryū is closely related to Kurosaki but has no direct connection to Naruto, but of the two, he's the one who is technically being held hostage in the village until Naruto comes of age or makes chunin, whichever comes first. Ishida works at the hospital and is by all accounts a highly skilled surgeon. Despite having no skill at medical jutsu, he is more than capable of meeting the exacting hospital standards that are Tsunade's legacy in the village.

The Hyuuga claim that Ishida doesn't have chakra coils at all and therefore can only be a simulacrum of some kind possibly from Wind Country. There is an official notice from Sandaime that rejected that line of inquiry with orders not to pursue the subject.

Despite his lack of chakra, Ishida is also reported as skilled at hand-to-hand combat, extremely skilled with a bow, (and had forced lessons onto not only Kurosaki and Naruto but also Sasuke and Sakura), and is talented with a needle and thread. Again, there was nothing irregular in his psychological profile though Ishida has filed more discrimination complaints against the Academy instructors than any other individual alive.

Now Kakashi is wondering what other strange teachings Kurosaki and Ishida have instilled in Naruto. They seem to have infected Sasuke and Sakura too. He abruptly realizes as Team Seven's jounin instructor, he will probably have to meet Naruto's guardians and Sakura's parents.

"They used method three on you?" Kakashi asks Sakura.

"They did!" she says, happy to complain. "They told me for us to be friends I had to fight Naruto every day for a week. Then on the last day they switched it up without saying anything and I had to fight Sasuke. Can you believe it?"

Kakashi can't believe it, actually. The whole set-up sounds like something out of a kid's movie. But then again, they were children then. They are genin now.

"We told all the girls in Sasuke's fanclub that," says Naruto. "But Sakura and Ino were the only ones who lasted all six days with me, and Ino didn't take it seriously when she was fighting Sasuke."

Yamanaka Ino, Kakashi considers idly, has probably grown up with horror stories about the Uchiha's propensity for stealing jutsu. She undoubtedly knows the basics of the Yamanaka's specialized techniques, even if she hasn't mastered them. A clan-raised kunoichi would never risk revealing clan secrets for the sake of friendship with a boy.

"Does that means you're not friends with Ino?" asks Kakashi.

Sasuke shrugs. "We're not close, but we're not enemies or anything."

"I'm friends with Ino," announces Sakura. "We're rivals."

Kakashi keeps his face still. He can never let his team meet Gai. It's too bad for Sakura, she'd probably get along great with Tenten, but Kakashi can't risk these three learning about his own long-standing "rival."

"Ichi-nii says that just because you don't make friends right away, it doesn't mean you can never be friends. And Methods 1 through 3 can be used or re-used at any time," explains Naruto.

"Is that so?" asks Kakashi. He'll need to fit this into Kurosaki's file somehow. "In that case, why don't I take you all out for ramen?"

Naruto cheers. Sasuke and Sakura both roll their eyes but neither one appears to object.

"This will be our usual training field, so go ahead and disable your traps," says Kakashi. "Get cleaned up, and I'll meet you at Teuchi's stand in an hour."

"What will you be doing, Kakashi-sensei?" asks Sakura. She sounds innocent, but Kakashi has already learned she's got an attitude under that pink facade.

"I will be reporting the formation of Team 7 to the Hokage," says Kakashi. He'll be taking yet another shower and changing his clothes first. Luckily Kakashi still has some leftover supplies from his raid on ANBU HQ this morning. If Naruto put dye in anything else, Kakashi won't need nearly as much time to wash it out.

Naruto is busy rejoicing about ramen, but Sakura and Sasuke both smirk at him. They try to hide it, but Kakashi is a literal expert at reading facial expressions. Just for that, Kakashi is assigning them the Tora-mission the minute it becomes available.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," says Naruto. He pulls a strip of paper from his pocket and hands it to Kakashi.

It's a street address Kakashi instantly recognizes as Naruto's house followed by a date and time. It's written in a very clean hand. It's not Naruto's or the doctor's, but it looks neater than what they have on file for Kurosaki. Kakashi will need to add "can disguise hand-writing" to Kurosaki's file too.

"Since we passed, you're invited over for dinner," says Naruto brightly. "Ichi-nii and Ryū-nii have so many questions. And Sakura's parents are coming too."

Kakashi can practically feel his ghost leave his body. He looks at the hopeful faces of his new brand new genin and musters a smile. "I'm looking forward to it."

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End.

Thank you for reading. Please review!


	5. Rivaling Kakashi Part 1

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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Gai tracks down Kakashi to one of the drinking establishments frequented by off-duty jounin. Kakashi has tea in front of him but there's a tension in his frame that suggests he could do with something stronger. It's the end of his first week as a jounin instructor to a genin team. Gai is proud of his friend but also reasonably concerned. Kakashi has been extremely resistant to the idea of training a genin team, and the mounting pressure from the Hokage and village elders has not helped the situation.

"Can I offer you a celebratory drink, my rival?" asks Gai.

Kakashi glances at the clock. "I have to be at Naruto's house in two hours."

That explains why Kakashi is at the bar rather than his apartment or at the memorial stone. When alone and unoccupied, his rival tends to lose track of time.

"Are you to meet his guardians in an official capacity?" asks Gai.

While never a part of ANBU himself, Gai knows that Naruto has been under constant watch since moving in with his new guardians. It was an effort on the Hokage's part to appease those elders of the village who protested at leaving the boy in the hands of foreign civilians while giving Naruto a stable place to call home. Kakashi is undoubtedly familiar with Naruto's care-givers already but from a distance.

"Yes and Sakura's parents too," says Kakashi. He sounds too casual and Gai can read the tension in his frame. His hip rival is panicking at the thought of a sit-down dinner with civilians. That will not do at all.

"Then I shall keep you company until the fortuitous hour arrives," announces Gai. "We can exchange amusing tales of our genin and their exploits."

Gai will avoid discussing his own first formal meeting with his team's families. Tenten's father was a delight, and young Lee's mother had been _very_ friendly, but the meal with Hyuuga Hiashi and his daughters had been fraught to say the least.

Kakashi looks grateful, and Gai orders himself chilled fruit juice as a reward. He can keep his rival company in sobriety and perhaps attract some of their mutual acquaintances to participate in the distraction as well.

Time passes quickly in good company, Gai and Kakashi are joined by Genma and move to a table. Raidou, Hayate, Yugao, and even Ebisu filter in as the evening progresses. According to Raidou, Iwashi is busy filling out paperwork and won't be joining them. According to Yugao, Asuma is busy lingering near the Hokage Tower waiting for Kurenai's team to finish their D-Rank for the day.

Ebisu is complaining loudly to Kakashi about an utterly appalling variation of the transformation jutsu Naruto has managed to teach the Hokage's grandson when someone interrupts with a polite, "Hatake-sensei—"

Kakashi nearly jumps out of skin and leaps from his seat into Gai's lap. Gai catches him on instinct and only manages not to tip out of his own chair thanks to years of core-strengthening exercises and Raidou's solid frame at Gai's back.

Raido himself is braced against the table in attempt to rise. Yugao and Hayate both reach for swords they aren't carrying but are abruptly distracted by one of Hayate's coughing fits. Ebisu pulls a kunai but stops himself from throwing it. Genma is so shocked he spits out his senbon at the poor soul who managed to sneak up on a table full of shinobi.

Gai whips his head around to follow the path of the needle as it flies through the air. Its target is an unfortunately familiar face. Ishida-sensei, whom Gai does not know personally but who is Lee's favored physician and one of Uzumaki Naruto's guardians, stands in the path of probable death and definite blindness. None of the shinobi at the table are in a position to react in time.

Ishida-sensei delicately catches the senbon in mid-air holding it at the base between thumb and forefinger. He lowers the needle and peers at the sharpened point. In the overhead light, Gai can see poison glinting at the tip. Genma shouldn't be chewing on poisoned needles no matter how much resistance he has to his own poisons. He really shouldn't be chewing on senbon at all. It's terrible for his teeth.

Ishida-sensei gazes at them through his glasses examining their frozen tableau. His face is neutral but Gai has a feeling the doctor is unimpressed by their reaction, which is understandable given the circumstances. An embroidered handkerchief appears in his free hand. Ishida-sensei wraps the senbon in it and places the bundle on the table.

"I apologize. It was not my intention to startle you," says Ishida-sensei.

Gai feels himself blush out of embarrassment, and he's not the only one. Ishida-sensei is a civilian. He shouldn't have been able to approach them at all without someone noticing him.

"You're fine," says Kakashi trying to sound casual.

He's turned around and is trying to looked relaxed in Gai's lap without resuming his former seat. Understandable, if uncomfortable for Gai as Kakashi is distressingly boney. Gai wouldn't want to return to a proven vulnerable position either.

However, Kakashi's voice is a touch too light, and Gai can feel Kakashi's pulse racing through the light grip he maintains. If his rival is attempting to regulate his biofeedback, then he's a doing a terrible job. Gai wonders when was the last time someone managed to sneak up on Kakashi in the village. Probably not since Uchiha Itachi left Konoha.

"Is there something you wanted, Ishida-sensei?" Gai's rival continues.

"Hatake-sensei," begins Ishida-sensei.

Gai can feel Kakashi tense further at the sound of his family name. That cannot be healthy. But Kakashi merely holds up a hand. "Please, sensei, I prefer Kakashi."

The doctor readjusts his glasses. They gleam unconsciously menacing in the light of the bar. Gai thinks Ebisu could only aspire to look so cool.

"Very well, Kakashi-sensei. The children insisted I stop on my way home to remind you about our dinner plans this evening. For some reason, they are under the impression you will be late," says Ishida-sensei.

Gai struggles to keep a straight face. For one, Kakashi's genin team have adapted to his relaxed schedule rather quickly. For another, the doctor could have sounded less like he was reminding Kakashi about a date. If Kakashi ever dated, he would never choose a civilian. Though the doctor's high-collared jacket cannot conceal his impressive musculature from Gai's professional gaze, it is clear that man is not a shinobi.

"Have no fear, Ishida-sensei," says Gai. "I shall insure my rival leaves for your abode in a timely fashion."

Another problem with having Kakashi in his lap is that it makes it far too easy for the man to jab one of his boney elbows into Gai's ribs. Gai bears the assault with dignity and only lets slip a quiet grunt.

The doctor looks dubious. "Thank you…"

"Maito Gai! Please, call me, Gai!" he says loudly into Kakashi's ear. Kakashi jabs him again.

"Yes, Lee-kun's jounin instructor," says Ishida-sensei.

The doctor's gaze hones in on Gai and for a moment, Gai feels a frisson of inexplicable fear. His entire body tenses in response.

Civilian or not, there is a decidedly dangerous person standing in front of Gai, and while he can grab Kakashi's weapons if need be, Gai is not in a position to defend himself. At his back he can feel the pressure building in Raidou, at his front Kakashi has yet to truly calm down, and trapped in the middle Gai himself cannot tell if he wants to fight or flee and is unable to do either effectively.

The moment passes as Ishida-sensei directs his gaze to Hayate, who is suddenly trying very hard to remain unobtrusive.

"Hayate-san, you missed your last appointment," says Ishida-sensei.

"I apologize, sensei," says Hayate not quite meekly but very close.

"Hayate-san, are on a treatment _regimen_. If you do not want to die, do not skip the next one," says Ishida-sensei in a voice like ice.

"I'll make sure he's there, sensei," says Yugao.

"Please do," says Ishida-sensei.

"No threats to pull out the big needles, sensei?" asks Genma half-jokingly. His hands are splayed out on the table. It's clear he wants to reach across and grab his senbon but doesn't want to remind the doctor that Genma almost killed him by accident.

"You are all active-duty shinobi. I do not want to give any of you more reason to _avoid_ the hospital," says Ishida-sensei sounding thoroughly exasperated.

That is something of a surprise. All the medic-nin Gai know have no compunction against issuing threats of bodily harm to shinobi who fail to report for treatment. Perhaps that is part of the difference between a medic-nin and civilian doctor.

"I will take my leave. Please return to your conversation," says Ishida-sensei.

He bows slightly and walks away. Gai follows him with his eyes. Ishida doesn't move like a shinobi, but his gait and his bearing still suggest martial training of some sort. He slips past the shinobi entering the bar like a ghost. Gai wonders where the man trained.

"Alright, he's gone. Gai, get off," says Raidou.

Gai jolts enough to tip Kakashi off his lap. Kakashi glides up back into his chair looking like the move was intentional. Gai's rival is very cool that way. Gai straightens enough that Raidou can sit back down. The table settles into an awkward silence.

"Why didn't you sense him coming?" demands Genma as he finally snatches up his senbon.

"No chakra coils. No chakra," says Kakashi shortly. He still looks relaxed, but Gai know that's not the case.

"That's really true?" exclaims Ebisu. "I thought that the Hyuuga were being touchy about Uzumaki's placement."

"It's true," says Kakashi.

Gai supposes that explains why Lee arranges his check-ups for when Ishida-sensei is working the hospital clinic. Other medics have entered official cautions in Lee's medical file to prevent him from working as a shinobi. Twice, Gai has had to go all the way to the Hokage to get them removed.

"Why didn't you see him coming?" counters Kakashi. "He was wearing white!"

Gai recalls that doctor's jacket had a large blue cross along the front and back but was otherwise predominately white. Gai adds his glare to Kakashi's own. Gai has never had a jumpscare like that since becoming jounin, and Kakashi certainly didn't need to be rattled by one of his student's guardians right before their official introduction.

"He's a civilian. It's not like he stalks the room with killing intent!" protests Genma. That is a weak excuse when the civilian was wearing white and they all know it.

The shinobi bicker back and forth about who is at fault and who has missed other sneaking opponents until Gai has to shuffle Kakashi out the door. If his rival is liberal with his use of shunshin, then he'll probably make it to dinner on time.

Gai hopes that Kakashi's visit to the Uzumaki household will be a success. He has never paid much attention to the doctor or the fireworks maker before, but now Gai thinks he will start. As a taijutsu specialist, Gai wants to know where a civilian learned to move like that. And as Kakashi's eternal rival, he has an obligation to provide whatever support he can.

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End.

This is part one of (at least) three that are Gai's perspective on Kakashi during this story. (I have almost as many Kakashi feels as I do Sakura feels, but these ones were expected.) The three parts were originally going to be one chapter, but I decided to break them up into multiple pieces to avoid spoilers and awkward time jumps.

Thanks for reading! Please review.


	6. Interlude: The First Photo

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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In Naruto's house, there is a wall covered in pictures.

Most of the pictures are photographs of Naruto, Ichigo, and Uryū or some combination of the three engaged in different activities. As Naruto grows older, Sasuke starts to crop up more often. Then Sakura suddenly materializes in almost every photo. But there are other faces too.

Iruka appears as a frequent guest. Naruto's classmates feature in snapshots of parties in the backyard. In another, Teuchi and his daughter, Ayame, hold a banner proclaiming "#1 Customer" over Naruto's head. There's a candid photo of the Hokage looking dubiously at the contents of a bowl Naruto is trying to press on him.

Some pictures don't features Naruto at all. In one such picture, Uryū adjusts Ichigo's stance as he holds a bow. The former, clearly lecturing, the latter, looking aggrieved. Sakura together with her parents beam proudly from their own photograph. In contrast, a young Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha stand solemnly in a formal wedding picture.

Kakashi's gaze can't help but be drawn to the most recent addition, a photograph of the newly minted Team 7. All four of them are smiling into the camera. Even Sasuke, who at the time was still reeling from hearing the story of Kakashi's sharingan, manages a small grin.

"Do you have a photo of your genin team, Kakashi-sensei?" asks Naruto.

"I heard you were a genius who graduated early," add Sasuke. "Were you even on a genin team?"

"How old were you when graduated?" presses Sakura.

"Give the man a chance to answer," says Sakura's mother.

Kakashi sends her a grateful glance. "I graduated the Academy at age 5."

There's a loud clang from the kitchen. Every head turns in that direction listening for sounds of a follow-up attack.

"Sorry! I dropped the teakettle," calls Kurosaki-san.

"I was slotted into an open position on a genin team," continues Kakashi. "I made chunin at 6 but stayed with my team because of my age."

Ishida-sensei frowns. It's a small expression but conveys unmistakable remonstration. The kids can't see it while they're facing Kakashi, but the jounin and Sakura's parents do.

"That was war," says Sakura's father. Civilian families don't lose their children to war— though there is _always_ an uptick in civilian applications to the Academy in wartime—but they sacrifice almost everything else.

Ishida-sensei smooths his face into a serene mask and says nothing.

Kakashi can't use chakra-fluctuations to help him assess the doctor's mood, but in this case body language alone is enough. Ishida-sensei does not accept "war" as a valid reason to promote a six-year-old to chunin. Kakashi chooses not to mention at what age he became jounin.

"To answer your question, Naruto, it's traditional in Leaf for all genin teams to take a photo, even in wartime, so yes I have one of them," says Kakashi.

"You should make a copy and we can add it to the family wall," says Naruto.

Kakashi thinks about it. In other circumstances, he would feel uncomfortable sharing a very personal memento of his deceased teammates. But Kakashi wants to see a picture of Minato-sensei on this wall with Naruto, almost desperately so. His only regret is that he can't give them a photo of Minato-sensei and Kushina together.

Kakashi's gaze falls on Sasuke, and inspiration strikes. Sandaime might be upset when he finds out, but Kakashi's already grounded with a genin team.

"Sasuke, do you think you can find a picture of your mother's genin team?" asks Kakashi.

Sasuke blinks in surprise. "Mom's team? There should be one in the photo book at the Main House."

Kakashi knows from ANBU surveillance that Kurosaki and Sasuke go to the Uchiha Compound to train, but unless there's a credible threat to the village, ANBU aren't allowed to spy on clan property. Not even Danzo can argue that a single child—who is not the Kyuubi jinchūriki—is a credible threat to Konoha's safety. It sounds like some time during those visits, Sasuke has come to terms with returning to the place of his parents' murder. That's good. Kakashi still hates to visit the house he shared with his father.

"If Sasuke brings the photo of his mother's team, then I'll bring mine," says Kakashi.

Sakura's parents look baffled yet amused by the eccentricities of their daughter's newest teacher. Ishida-sensei looks suspicious. Kakashi mentally pats himself on the back for a neat solution to a thorny problem and ignores the brats' whines.

It takes some time, but Sasuke eventually secures the photograph in question. Kakashi pops back to his apartment and grabs a copy of his original team, framed and ready to hang ever since their discussion, then heads back to Naruto's house.

Kakashi has already explained how he came by his sharingan eye, but the kids are happy to put faces to names. Sasuke searches Obito's face for traces of familiarity. Naruto cracks a grin at tiny five-year-old Kakashi. Sakura's the one to recognize the Fourth Hokage, and it takes the kids awhile to calm down when they realize they're part of the teaching-lineage of Kages.

Finally, Sasuke produces the photo Kakashi tasked him to find. It's in a new frame, and Kakashi is glad to see it is going on the wall even without the information he is about to share.

"Who are they?" asks Sasuke. It's his mother's team. It makes sense for him to ask.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura are leaning in close. Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei are in the room but not paying close attention to the conversation. Kurosaki has a pile of papers in front of him and is working on a chemical formula. Ishida is embroidering a shirt at lightning fast speed.

Kakashi points to the jounin instructor first. "This is Kanae. She was taijutsu specialist and a contemporary of the Sannin."

"The who?" asks Naruto.

"Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru earned the title of the Legendary Three Ninja during the Second Shinobi war," explains Kakashi.

"Jiraiya's the name of the guy who wrote my favorite book, _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_ ," says Naruto. "He was really a shinobi?"

"He is still a shinobi but he writes...adult books now. I'm surprised you managed to a copy of his first one," says Kakashi.

"I think it was a gift?" suggests Naruto.

"From Sandaime Hokage-sama," confirms Kurosaki.

Kakashi keeps his face neutral. Of course, Sandaime would be the one to gift Naruto with Jiraiya's book. Kakashi feels much better about the picture if the Hokage skirted that close to breaking his own proclamation.

"Are the other two Sannin still alive?" asks Sakura.

"Do they write books too?" asks Naruto.

"Tsunade is a legend in the hospital. She single-handedly revolutionized the field of medical jutsu. I understand that she's retired from active duty," says Ishida-sensei. "I don't remember hearing anything about Orochimaru."

Kakashi hums thoughtfully. "Orochimaru left the village shortly before you and Kurosaki-san arrived, sensei. He was conducting unethical experiments and chose to flee rather than face charges."

The kids are not impressed by this bit of history, but it causes Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei to raise their heads and stare at Kakashi. The civilian definition of unethical and the shinobi definition of unethical begin at at very different places, and they know it.

"So who are the rest, other than Sasuke's mom?" asks Naruto dragging them back on track.

"And why is it an all-girls team?" asks Sakura.

"This was Team 7 at the time, and it followed the pattern established by the Sannin of placing the best overall shinobi, best kunoichi, and worst overall shinobi graduate on one team," says Kakashi.

A stunned silence meets his words as the kids process his explanation, but eventually the dam breaks.

Sasuke huffs and crosses his arms. "That's a terrible way of assigning teams."

"The best overall shinobi can be a girl? Why did no one tell us that!" demands Sakura.

Naruto yells, "I was _not_ the worst in our class!"

"It's rare for kunoichi-in-training to surpass their male classmates in taijutsu, but it does happen," says Kakashi to Sakura. The advantages of coming from a Clan aren't limited to larger chakra reserves and inherited jutsu.

He glances at Naruto. "Hokage-sama assigns teams based on the Academy instructors' recommendations. Your friendship with Sasuke and Sakura was deemed more important than following the Sannin model."

Kakashi shifts his gaze to Sasuke. "The Sannin were Sandaime's students and famous for their teamwork throughout all of the Elemental Countries. Konoha has hoped to reproduce a team of their caliber ever since."

Sakura still looks livid. Sasuke continues to be skeptical. But Naruto, at least, looks mollified. Kakashi grins beneath his mask and moves his hand to hover over the picture.

"Uchiha Mikoto, best overall shinobi."

From the corner of his eye, Kakashi can see Sasuke's chest puff with pride. Sasuke's father and brother are more famous in the village-at-large for obvious reasons, but Sasuke's mother is remembered by shinobi for her own talents.

Kakashi shifts his fingers slightly. "Hyuuga Hiyori, best overall kunoichi."

"Oh, that's Hinata's mom," says Naruto easily.

Kakashi moves his hand again careful not to cover Kushina's face. "Just to be clear, she threw the rankings to end up on Mikoto's team. Her name is Uzumaki Kushina."

For the second time, Kakashi's team is stunned into silence. But this time, even the squeak of needle through cloth and scratch of pencil on paper have quieted. Four pairs of eyes lock onto Kakashi. The fifth, Naruto, fixes on the photograph.

Naruto takes a deep, shuddering breath and asks, "That's my mom?"

"I can't talk about that." It pains Kakashi to say the words, but he can't risk being removed from Team 7 and placed back in ANBU.

Until this very moment, half of Kakashi wanted to go back and lose himself in ANBU and a very small part of him still does. But masked as Dog, Kakashi would never be able to share anything about Naruto's parents or the good memories of Sasuke's brother or even tell Sakura the history of the village's kunoichi. Now Kakashi wants to do all of that, even though he still thinks he's a terrible choice for a jounin-instructor.

Naruto glances up at Kakashi in confusion. "But…"

Sakura practically flattens Naruto in her haste to hug him. Sasuke has to brace him from the other side.

"Of course, that's your mom!" Sakura yells into his. "Kakashi-sensei didn't make Sasuke go to through his parents stuff for a picture of _Hinata's_ mom!"

"That's your mom," says Sasuke. "She's got your fat face. Ow!"

Sakura glares at Sasuke and threatens to punch him again. Sasuke rolls his eyes.

"Obviously that's your mom, she looks like you," says Sasuke.

"That's my mom," says Naruto.

Kakashi realizes he has not thought this through when he sees tears form in the corners of Naruto's eyes. The only tears Kakashi can deal with are Gai's and even his tolerance for those has limits.

"Good talk," says Kakashi springing to his feet. "I have to go… feed my dogs. Meet tomorrow morning at the usual training ground."

Kurosaki-san is abruptly at his side. "I'll walk you out, Kakashi-sensei."

Kurosaki-san escorts Kakashi to the front door in silence, but as Kakashi slips on his outdoor shoes, he says, "You're going to need to work on that."

Kakashi winces. "I do most of my work with adults." That's a terrible excuse as genin, his students are legally considered adults in the eyes of the village. "There's not a lot of crying in the field."

"Of course, there's no crying in the field! That's dangerous," says Kurosaki-san. "Crying or yelling or doing other emotional processing stuff is for you're when at home, when you're physically safe."

Kakashi stares at him blankly. He's spent most of his career thinking of himself as a tool for the village. Tools do not process their emotions.

" _Of course, they're all messed up, Ichigo. What else did you expect?"_ says Kurosaki-san in the strange indecipherable language he shares with Ishida-sensei.

He sighs heavily and looks at Kakashi. "You'll get better with practice. Just do anything other than bail. If you have to, pretend they're upset clients and you're responsible for their safety."

"Normally, clients are upset because I've killed people in front of them," says Kakashi.

Kurosaki-san thinks about it. "They'll probably be upset about that the first time too. But, normally they'll want to act tough in front of you, so it should be a while before you see tears again."

Kakashi sends a fervent prayer of thanks to whoever is listening and reminds himself to check-in with T&I and pick up one of their pamphlets on regaining mental equilibrium after a kill.

"Thank you for the advice, Kurosaki-san," says Kakashi as he slides open the door. He wouldn't accept advice from civilian about being a shinobi, but a jounin-instructor is responsible for more than that, and Kakashi is well-aware of his own deficiencies.

Kurosaki-san looks away gazing back toward the sitting room and it's wall of photos.

"I know you spend a lot of time at the Memorial Stone, Kakashi-sensei," he says. "Can you tell me how the names are listed?"

Kakashi tenses. He has never seen Kurosaki at the Memorial Stone, but Kakashi doesn't spend all of his time there no matter what people say. "They're listed chronologically. New names are added as shinobi die in service to the village."

"But there's an exception," says Kurosaki carefully. He's still looking toward the inside of the house. If any ANBU are watching the front door, then they wouldn't be able to read his lips. "The night the Kyuubi attacked the village, so many people died that names were added to the Memorial Stone in alphabetical order. However, family members' names were placed together."

Kakashi is frozen in the doorway. He's an obvious target and the longer he stays in one place the more vulnerable he becomes to attack.

"Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina's names are written next to each other on the Memorial Stone," says Kurosaki-san, a final nail in the coffin.

Kakashi says nothing. It's an S-Rank secret, and Kurosaki's not the one who deserves to know. Teaching-lineage isn't the only claim Naruto has on the line of Kages, but it's the only one he's allowed to know about for now.

"That's all Ishida and I ever hear when we ask about Naruto's parents," says Kurosaki-san. "Have a good afternoon, Kakashi-sensei."

The next time Kakashi finds himself inside Naruto's house, Kakashi's eyes are drawn to a collection of pictures. Three generations of Team 7 hang proudly from the wall in a tight cluster. In true shinobi fashion, they double as a tiny, subversive family tree. Someday, Kakashi will give Naruto a picture of both of his parents together, and they will smile brightly at him from the wall, but for now this is enough.

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End.

However it might have happened in canon, for the purposes of this story I decided that it makes more sense for Kakashi to have joined an already established team under Minato than for two different people to be added to Minato and Kakashi's master-apprentice relationship.

Also, we don't know who Mikoto and Kushina's third teammate was or what their team number was, so I made up even more stuff. But that's what fanfiction is for.

Thanks for reading. Please review!


	7. Passing Through the Looking Glass

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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Kurosaki Ichigo saves Haku's life indirectly and unintentionally in two ways.

The first way is this:

Ichigo is a good student. He doesn't just take what his teachers give him and let the knowledge sit. He thinks critically about the information, applies it as best he can, seeks to learn more on his own, and experiments with what he knows.

Shiba Kukaku, Head of the (reinstated) Great Noble House Shiba and fireworks-maker extraordinaire, is thrilled to learn this about her cousin and teaches him everything she knows about making fireworks. Ichigo has a talent for destruction that blends nicely with the science of pyrotechnics and learns everything she offers to teach.

When Ichigo and Uryū leave Soul Society to search for the near-mythical Elemental Countries, loaded down by their friends and family with enough treasure and trade goods to fund a small army for a decade, he takes with him his knowledge of fireworks, gunpowder, and Shiba-style kido-magic and a thirst to improve his technique and make Kukaku proud. Ultimately, Ichigo becomes one the most profitable small-business owners in the entire Elemental Countries. (A fact discovered in the dismantling of ROOT, which keeps extensive records on the guardians of Konoha's lone jinchuriki.)

When Ichigo finally learns how chakra works from helping Naruto with his schoolwork, he starts researching how to give his customers more bang for their buck by enhancing his fireworks with chakra. It's a slow process when all he has is an Academy student's understanding, but his first break comes when Naruto has a lesson on exploding tags.

Naruto loves using exploding tags. He's good at making them too, which isn't much of a surprise when Ichigo's remembers his first and last visit to Uzu when it was still an active village and not the ruins of one. It isn't hard to convince Naruto to ask Iruka for more advanced material on exploding tags. He comes home with a book on mid-rank exploding tag seals, which contains page after page of variations.

Ichigo and Naruto try making all of them in rapid succession. Uryū pitches a fit when one variation produces a sonic boom that destroys half of his distilling equipment and orders them outside to annoy the neighbors instead.

(Joke's on Uryū, all of their neighbors moved out the minute they heard Naruto had moved in and Ichigo had bought property beside them, behind them, and catty-corner to theirs at a steal. Miyagi-san directly across the street was the lone holdout. Out of deference, Ichigo left the houses on either side of him standing, advertising them as rental property. The rest he demolished. Uryū appreciated the addition of the outdoor archery range though he still had to practice his Quincy techniques in the Urahara-style pocket-dimension beneath the basement.)

The number of variations in the mid-rank book give Ichigo a place to work from. He manages to break down the basics of true sealing and starts applying them to his fireworks. He does the most dangerous work while Naruto is busy at the Academy and only blows himself up a handful of times. Uryū is unsympathetic but still helps him clean up the mess to avoid upsetting Naruto.

Ichigo's second breakthrough comes in the form of Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke, as sole surviving heir to the powerful Uchiha Clan, has unfettered access to all of the Uchiha's known techniques, most of which were written down so shinobi who didn't develop the clan dojutsu could still learn them. Several of these techniques, like the Great Fire Ball, are Uchiha signatures that every member of the clan is expected to know. Sasuke, as a child with no other living family, has no one to help him learn any of those techniques.

It takes a year of friendship with Naruto, a year to observe the weird little family Ichigo, Uryū, and Naruto have made together, and a year of slowly growing trust, but eventually Sasuke asks Ichigo if he can help with some stuff at the Uchiha Compound.

After Ichigo swears not to tell anyone, "some stuff" ends up meaning working through the scrolls of the Uchiha Clan jutsu and helping Sasuke learn to perform them correctly. It's actually easier than helping Naruto with his homework. Naruto's brain works sideways, and Ichigo can relate, but that means picking apart every problem at every angle until they find one that works. All Sasuke really needs is a methodical break down of the jutsu, a second opinion when he gets stuck, and some quiet encouragement, and he can figure out most of the jutsu appropriate for genin or low-level chunin a matter of days. He's not the genius his brother was rumored to be, but Sasuke's is the best student in his class for a reason.

It takes another year, a year in which Sasuke slowly moves things out of his apartment and into the room next to Naruto's, a year in which Sasuke and Naruto make another close friend in the form of Sakura, but eventually Sasuke tells Ichigo he has permission to use the Uchiha Clan techniques as long as he doesn't teach them to anyone else.

This is a big deal, no matter how casually Sasuke tries to play it off, and Ichigo thanks him formally. Then Ichigo starts working to combine all of the amazing fire and lightning jutsu he's been learning with his fireworks using seals as a medium.

The end result is that when Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura leave on their first mission, Ichigo sneaks Naruto his first successful product: a roman candle that, when lit with a fire jutsu, will emit three increasingly powerful fire dragons that roar into existence before crashing into each other and exploding in a perfect chrysanthemum bloom. If lit normally without chakra, it's just a regular roman candle that can double as a flare. Ichigo makes it very clear that Naruto is only to use it in an emergency.

Trapped in a dome of ice mirrors, Naruto decides he's in an emergency, points the roman candle at Haku, and has Sasuke light it with a lick of fire-breath.

The first dragon cracks the mirror holding Haku. The second dragon shatters the mirror holding Haku and incidentally all of the other mirrors. The third dragon sends Haku flying across the bridge into Zabuza and flings them both over the side of the railing. The perfectly formed chrysanthemum bloom is almost gilding the lily when it scorches the two shinobi and sends the hurtling them at high speeds into the waves below.

Upon reflection, Naruto decides he may have overreacted given he and Sasuke recover at basically the same speed once Sakura removes the senbon. In contrast, Haku breaks half his ribs and almost drowns.

The point is: the confusion caused by the roman candle slows everything down enough that no one is dead before Gatou arrives with his army of thugs. Zabuza is pissed off and really worried about Haku, even though he's terrible at showing it, and kills most of the thugs and Gatou before the adrenaline wears off. Team 7 and the angry mob of Wave citizens scare off the rest. And before he really thinks about it, Naruto invites Zabuza and Haku to stay at his house until they're better.

Kakashi and Zabuza are the only ones to have an inkling of how the battle on the Great Naruto Bridge might have gone without Naruto's blastic redirection of their priorities. Neither of them say a word to the kids—the first of many silent agreements between the two—but without that roman candle someone important would have died not just some scuzzy crime boss and a bunch of hired help.

Zabuza and Haku return with Team 7 to Konoha and a new future.

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The second way Ichigo saves Haku is even less direct but spares his ribs and goes something like this:

Sasuke isn't their kid legally. Not the way that Naruto is officially their ward by order of the Hokage. But by the time Sasuke moves out of his lonely apartment and into their house permanently, Ichigo and Uryū see him as their kid.

(Ichigo and Orihime had only ever had the one child. While Uryū, too afraid of Soul Society's reaction toward any children born of his bloodline, had never married but ended up adopting dozens of children, both spiritually aware and not, between his time in the Living World and Soul Society. Uryū is well-practiced at taking in strays.)

Ichigo, in the way of good parents, starts to think about how to help Sasuke achieve his life's goal. Ichigo doesn't really see how Sasuke killing his brother would help things. Uryū is the one with more experience in taking vengeance for his family. So Ichigo focuses on the restoring the Uchiha part of Sasuke's objective.

Under Kukaku's tutelage, Ichigo learned about fireworks and about the history of the Shiba before, during, and after their exile. The fireworks were the best part, but Ichigo was always something of a closet nerd and he enjoyed learning about all the weird traditions and responsibilities that were part and parcel of being a Noble House. He did not enjoy having to practice any of the weird traditions or drill in etiquette, but when Kukaku insisted he didn't say no.

Part of Ichigo suspects that Kukaku had wanted him to take over as head of Shiba instead of Ganju. Before things in Soul Society got tense and Ichigo and Uryū decided to leave, he had decided to agree if she asked. After the last incident, it became a moot point.

When Sasuke talks about restoring his clan, Ichigo thinks back to his lessons with Kukaku. He imagines that being a noble clan in a century old village is less complicated than being a Great Noble House in Soul Society, but he doesn't know the details, so in straight-forward Ichigo fashion, he asks.

Sasuke stalls out. He doesn't know. He was the spare to a genius older brother. They grew up in a relatively peaceful time in the village, and his brother was unlikely to have died young, so his parents never attempted to teach Sasuke the responsibilities of a future clan-head. Most of what he knows he remembers from sitting with his brother during his lessons. The emotional roller coaster set in motion by all this recollection breaks through the block Sasuke set on his emotions. For the first time since the massacre of his family, Sasuke starts to weep.

Ichigo is relieved they're having this conversation on the Uchiha property rather than at the house. Naruto would want Sasuke to stop crying and being happy, and Sasuke would force himself to stop out of shame. With no witnesses but Ichigo and surrounded by the ghosts of memories, Sasuke cries himself into exhaustion. Ichigo carries him home and tucks him into bed and tells Naruto that Sasuke wore himself out but doesn't mention how.

Then Ichigo explains the situation to Uryū. The only option available to them is research.

Uryū sets the children a mission to interrogate the clan children in their class. The goal is to find out what is expected of a clan heir and their future responsibilities. To make it interesting, Uryū adds that they shouldn't get caught asking. Five of their classmates are outright heirs and Kiba is second in line after his sister. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura report back with information on five of the clans. They can't manage to ask the Nara heir anything without him asking pointed questions back.

Ichigo helps by hunting down the village's founding charter. In a shinobi village, gossip rampages like wildfire but information is strictly controlled. Clanless civilians only have access to the government controlled newspaper and whatever bits and pieces their shinobi customers are willing, or ordered, to share. But all adult citizens of Konoha, shinobi and civilian alike, are required to swear an oath of loyalty to the village itself, which means even civilians like Ichigo and Uryū are permitted full access to the Konoha's founding documents.

(In truth, Uryū has the best understanding of Konoha's military situation by dint of working in the hospital. The Elemental Countries do not have anything remotely close to the idea of doctor-patient confidentiality. Patient privacy is habit heldover from the Warring Clans era rather than policy. If medical records are sealed, then it's because they are classified for one reason or another. The whole thing drives Uryū up the wall and Ichigo has listened to him rant about it often enough that he can nod and grunt in the right places without needing to pay attention. It's helpful to know, but not the kind of information Sasuke or any of the kids need just yet.)

It would be easier to find what they needed if one of them were a shinobi too. The Uzumaki Clan Head in Uzu had offered the option to Ichigo and Uryū both after seeing them fight. But Uryū was understandably reluctant to tie himself to a military organization, and Ichigo wanted to see more of the Elemental Countries before settling down. Ichigo tries not to dwell on what-ifs and tells himself that being a shinobi in Uzu wouldn't have affected the situation here in Konoha.

After emerging victorious from a pitched paperwork battle with the records office, Ichigo possesses a copy of the original village charter and all of its amendments. Listed within the lengthy legal document are all the qualifications and requirements of a clan head, which are outlined in the same dry, serious voice that wrote the Academy charter. (Uryū and Ichigo have read through the Academy charter and its amendments so many times, they can recite it word for word.)

The laws of a barely century-old village truly aren't as complicated as those of Soul Society with its millenia of legal tradition. But Ichigo didn't account for the complexities involved in bringing together clans with centuries of bloodshed between them. It's not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination, but once Sasuke understands what Ichigo found, he becomes determined to work through the whole thing.

In the end, Sakura and Naruto do just as much reading as Sasuke. Sakura is not part of a clan and still too young to think about marrying into one. But working as a shinobi means working with the various clans and understanding their roles in the village. Naruto is less convinced of the necessity, but if Sasuke and Sakura are studying the clan laws, then he does too. He has more fun trying to imagine the reasons for the various amendments, but he still pays attention.

All of this effort pays off in Zabuza and Haku's favor when Team 7 is reporting their unusual mission to Wave to Sandaime and the Hokage makes noise about sending the pair off to T&I for processing.

Naruto throws a fit. He invited Zabuza and Haku back to his house _not_ to be tortured. Naruto isn't the sort of shinobi to break his promises or go back on his word.

(It's an attitude Naruto has learned from observing Ichigo and Uryū, not something either of them has explicitly said or even encouraged. Shinobi have to break promises professionally. For shinobi, the only promises that are supposed to matter are the oaths to the Hokage and the village.)

"We cannot let two foreign shinobi wander around the village without supervision or knowing their purpose here," says Sandaime reasonably.

"They're here because I invited them. I accepted their parole as head of the Uzumaki Clan. If they do something bad, it's on me and we all three go to T&I. But otherwise, Zabuza and Haku are left alone," declares Naruto.

This announcement produces a not-insignificant amount of yelling, much to the consternation of Zabuza and Haku who are waiting anxiously outside the Hokage's office.

Sandaime attempts to protest at first. But Naruto can counter all of his arguments.

The Uzumaki are already recognized as a pre-existing clan. There are no other candidates competing with Naruto for the head position. The Uzumaki have served the village in good faith for at two consecutive generations. Members of the Uzumaki in Konoha have paid all of their dues and taxes in a timely fashion. The Uzumaki support the village financially by owning stock in one civilian business.

"Kurosaki's fireworks company does not have any other financial backers or employees," says Sandaime in a last ditch effort. "It cannot be counted as a village business separate from the clan."

Naruto waves his hand. "Doesn't matter. I do own 20% of Teuchi's ramen stand."

"Since when?" hisses Sakura, the only person not shocked into silence.

"I went with Ichi-nii and Ryu-nii and Sasuke when they shook down the bank to release the Uchiha's financial papers. They were on a roll, so I asked the bank guys if they were holding on to anything of mine. And they gave me the stuff for Teuchi's. I even talked to Teuchi about it, see if he wanted to buy it back. And he said no," explains Naruto.

Sandaime frowns. "That investment was not made by your Uzumaki parent."

Naruto narrows his eyes. "Yeah? Well I own it now, which makes it an Uzumaki business. And it means I meet all the requirements of a one-member Clan. It's doesn't need to be ratified in any assembly since I'm announcing it front of the Hokage. And as Clan Head I can invite foreign shinobi into the village at my discretion as potential new members of my clan."

Sandaime sags in his seat for a brief moment then he nods. "Very well. Are there any other announcements you would like to make as the new Uzumaki Clan Head?"

Naruto thinks about it. "The Uzumaki are officially allying with the Uchiha."

Sasuke looks touched. Sandaime tries not splutter. Official political alliances between clans are rare. The only one in the village that has lasted is the Ino-Shika-Cho combination that predated the foundation of Konoha. Naruto decides he and Sasuke are going to change that starting now.

In one fell stroke, Naruto promotes himself to the position of clan head and keeps Zabuza and Haku out of T&I. For Zabuza, the visit would have been unpleasant but ultimately nothing to worry about. For Haku, a certain pattern to his thoughts, a degree of selflessness pushed unhealthily far, would have him flagged for a psychological evaluation. This evaluation would make its way to the desk of Shimura Danzo. Danzo, director of ROOT, would not read the report and see a loyal young man but would see instead a tool to serve Konoha and to use as leverage against one of the last of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

As much as Ichigo indirectly changes Haku's fate and saves him from death, he also manages to save Haku from a fate worse than death.

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If Haku thinks of Kurosaki as saving him at all it is in this way:

The warm light of dawn shines on Haku face through the open curtains. He comes awake slowly, peacefully. He can hear Zabuza-sama breathing deeply—too much of a shinobi to snore—and the sound fills Haku with overwhelming, exquisite relief. He sits for a long time watching Zabuza-sama breathe and feeling content.

Haku forces himself to get up so he won't start to cry. He walks to the window and peers out at the view. There is no neighboring house on this side of the property. Instead he sees a plentiful copse of young trees. Several are in the late stages of flowering or bearing young, new fruits. From the second story window, Haku can see the glimmerings of a pattern in their placement.

Haku draws the curtains closed and steps away. Zabuza-sama hasn't stirred and Haku is happy to let him sleep while he scouts the environment he was too tired to examine the night before. Haku blushes at the hazy memory of Zabuza-sama carrying him up the stairs after dinner.

Haku turns to the clothespress and draws out a pale mint under-robe and a pale blue sleeveless yukata. The fabric is sturdy but breathes well and is soft to the touch when Haku dresses. It's one of several outfits he assembled from Ishida-sensei's large collection of hand sewn garments.

Naruto assured him that Ishida-sensei was happy for them to be worn. The doctor made the clothes as hobby and a form of stress relief and was more likely to donate the clothing rather than wear it himself. Haku had examined the sheer number of items packed into the room, reflected on the trip back to Konoha in the company of Naruto and his teammates, and decided Ishida-sensei must be remarkably even-tempered to produce so little.

Sliding the door open, Haku stretches his sense into the hallway. There's no one waiting for them and no movement from any of the occupied rooms. Their guest room is on what Naruto calls the boring side of the house. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura's rooms are in the west wing. (Sakura stays over often enough to have her own room, which is almost as well decorated and lived-in as the boys' rooms.) Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei both sleep in the east wing in separate bedrooms.

Haku locates the closest washroom, rinses his face, and sets out to explore. He decides quickly that the house is unnecessarily large. Upstairs and downstairs, the majority of the rooms are empty of anything including furniture or basic decoration. Along the short hall, the doors stand open on vacant rooms waiting for occupants who may never come. It gives Haku the impression that the house is haunted. It's a silly thought that Haku can't shake, and he retreats outside seeking the warmth of the sun.

Haku finds a small garden filled with plants that prefer shade tucked into a corner of the inner courtyard. Some are just there for decoration, but he sees more than a few with medicinal properties. The rest of the space is filled by some outdoor furniture, a sunken fire-pit, and several decorated poles which are just the right height to create a covered awning for outdoor parties. Haku walks along the wide, finished engawa and wonders why their hosts have so much space and filled it with so little.

"Morning, Haku!" shouts Naruto stirring Haku from his reverie.

Haku has reached the end of the veranda and is facing the backyard. Surrounded by trees on all sides, the yard matches the house in scope. One side there is a flower garden already beset by adventurous butterflies and bumblebees. A stone path wanders between the beds and leads into the copse Haku noted from the window. On the opposite side, there is vegetable garden which Naruto is happily watering. Far from the house, but only two-thirds of the way to the tree line is a separate free standing building, tighty shut against the night and prying eyes.

The empty space between the gardens, the hut, and the back-porch of the house is large enough to hold another more reasonably sized-house.

"Good morning, Naruto," says Haku. He has been seen and rather than retreating into the silent house, he goes to join the sunny boy.

Naruto's garden is laid out somewhat haphazardly. But there are helpful handwritten-signs along each row that indicate what is growing where. A line of cages has a card that reads "Sasuke's Gross Tomatoes" with a red blob sporting Sasuke's ducktail hairstyle. The signs are faded and childish.

"Did you make these?" asks Haku touching a fingertip to the nearest closest sign. It's attached to a block of wood and sealed with some kind of epoxy.

"I did," says Naruto. "I was eight and Ichi-nii was working really hard to get my calligraphy up to standard. I had to make dozens before any of them were readable. But we set the failures on fire, so I didn't get bored trying."

Haku smiles at the thought of a young Naruto working hard with ink and brush. He wonders what prompted the lesson.

"That was the year I moved in with Ichi-nii and Ryu-nii," says Naruto. "We picked out everything we wanted to grow over the winter and planted the garden in the spring. I think Ryu-nii was hoping I'd like vegetables more if I got fresh ones."

"You don't like vegetables?" asks Haku looking at the large garden in front of him.

Naruto shrugs. "I really just like watering. And weeding, too. I guess. It's fun to wake up early and work outside. And vegetables are okay, I guess. But don't tell Ryu-nii or he'll make me eat more of them."

Haku tries to reconcile this childish, peaceful Naruto who hides his like for vegetables with the defiant shinobi he fought on the bridge in Wave. It's almost impossible, until he remembers waking up feeling safe and full and clean with his most precious person in arm's reach. If this is what safety feels like, if this is what Zabuza-sama wants for Kiri, then Haku no longer has to wonder why Zabuza-sama works so hard for the village that rejected them.

"Your house is nice," says Haku.

Naruto looks at him askance. "Most of the kids in class said it's creepy 'cause it's mostly empty."

"Well, yes," admits Haku. "Why do you have so many empty rooms?"

"None of us have a lot of stuff, and Ichi-nii and Ryū-nii really just wanted it because it was on a big lot," says Naruto. He points at the closed off building. "That's Ichi-nii's fireworks workshop."

"That does explain why it's so far from the trees," says Haku placing a protective hand over his tender ribs. Between Sakura and Sasuke, they managed to heal most of the damage. Haku thinks that's half the reason Zabuza-sama agreed to come to Konoha with Naruto.

"I'm not sorry," says Naruto pointedly not looking at Haku.

Haku doesn't know how to articulate to Naruto how delighted he was to learn of Zabuza-sama's care for Haku's life. Or how badly the fight with Gatou and his horde of mercenaries could have gone if either side had wiped the other out.

"Neither am I," says Haku instead. "Are all the houses in this area so large?"

Naruto laughs. "No. Just this one. Hey, if you want to see something cool, you can go look at the archery range. Ryū-nii's practicing since it's his day off."

"I think I will," says Haku.

Haku skirts wide around the fireworks shed and walks through the double layer of trees. He comes to a stop at the edge of an impressively sized archery range.

Ishida-sensei is backed as far as he can possibly at one end of the field without being in the trees. At the other end, wooden targets slide across double strands of ninja wire one high and one low. The targets are weighted so they move at random. The tilting and and turning of the targets makes the wires move up and down unpredictably. Ishida-sensei calmly fires arrow after arrow, never speeding, never hesitating, yet hitting a perfect bullseye every time.

Haku watches in silent awe. He can recognize a master at work, even if archery is normally skill typically reserved for nobles hunting for sport and peasants armed with cheap bows hunting for food.

When Ishida-sensei empties his quiver, he picks up a remote and shuts down the moving targets. Haku hides his surprise. Radio-triggered remotes are expensive and easy to interfere with. That's why shinobi use built-in timers or chakra-triggers when they set explosives. Then again, if someone accidentally sets off Ishida-sensei's targets, the worst that will happen is too much noise.

"Good morning, Haku," says Ishida-sensei as he walks by to retrieve his arrows.

"Good morning, Ishida-sensei," says Haku pacing him. "That was beautiful."

"Thank you," said Ishida-sensei. "Are the clothes to your taste?"

Haku touches the hem of his sleeve. There are small, intricate crosses embroidered around the edges, pretty without being feminine. Outside of infiltration missions, the yukata and under-robe are some of the nicest Haku's ever worn.

"They're lovely, thank you," says Haku.

"If you want anything specific, let me know," says Ishida-sensei.

There are stationary targets at the end of the field, large logs with bales of hay fitted to the front. The hay has to be for the arrows. Haku can see marks left by kunai and shuriken dug deep into the logs themselves.

The lower rung of moving targets has sunk to the level of the stationary ones. Ishida-sensei plucks his arrows free with ease. The upper row of moving targets is too tall to reach comfortably. Haku is about to offer his assistance when Ishida-sensei jumps light as a feather to the top of the closest log and begins retrieving the rest of his arrows.

"You are too generous," says Haku a beat late. He remembers Naruto saying Ishida-sensei and Kurosaki-san were civilians, but given the demonstration he just witnessed, Haku finds that hard to believe.

"I like doing it," says Ishida-sensei. He jumps back to the ground and frowns at Haku. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

Haku's stomach rumbles in answer. He blushes from embarrassment. He had eaten his fill at dinner. There was no reason to be hungry again already.

"Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen," says Uryū. "Breakfast is usually informal when we have the same days off. If you need help finding something, Naruto and Kurosaki are both awake now."

"Thank you," says Haku. He will see to making breakfast for Zabuza-sama and himself. It will be nice to have access to a well-stocked kitchen for a change.

Haku walks away from the archery range and through the trees and freezes. Naruto and Hatake are both sitting on the edge of the veranda drinking tea, but that's not what makes him stop.

Kurosaki-san is standing in the open field holding a sword almost as long as he is tall and working his way through a kata. Haku isn't one for sword-work, he prefers his needles and their non-lethal potential, but he has spent most of his life following at Zabuza's heels and knows the difference between a real swordsman and a guy with a sharp stick. Kurosaki-san is a master swordsman as much as Ishida-sensei is a master archer.

Haku watches for a minute longer. Then he realizes he doesn't know when Kurosaki started or when he'll finish. He races across the yard, back into the house, and upstairs in the room where they spent the night. Zabuza-sama is still asleep.

Haku touches his shoulder and shakes him gently. However much Haku would like for Zabuza-sama to get more rest, he knows Zabuza-sama would rather see Kurosaki-san drilling with his sword.

"What is it?" asks Zabuza snapping awake.

"Kurosaki-san is outside practicing with a sword," says Haku. "He looks skilled."

"Lead the way," says Zabuza grabbing Kubikiribocho from where it lies again the wall.

Haku guides him downstairs and outside. They come to a stop next to Hatake and Naruto. Hatake looks tired but not as terrible as he did. He barely even acknowledges their approach. His eyes are fixed on Kurosaki. Other hand, Naruto waves at them both and pats the empty space beside him. Haku sits down and lets his legs dangle from the engawa. Zabuza won't sit with Kubikiribocho strapped to his back.

"Here, Haku, have some tea," says Naruto.

He forces an earthenware cup into Haku's hands. It's hot but not steaming. Haku takes a sip. The lemongrass and ginger is bracing. Haku takes another sip and delights in tea he didn't have to prepare. (It's not that Zabuza-sama won't make them food if Haku can't, but really, it's better for everyone's digestive health if Haku makes the food.)

"That's not a kata I recognize," says Zabuza-sama.

"Neither do I," say Hatake.

"Ichi-nii made it up to go with Zangetsu," says Naruto. "That's the sword's name."

Haku frowns slightly. Shinobi weapons do not typically have names unless they are famous like the seven swords the Swordsmen of the Mist.

"Is Kurosaki-san a samurai?" asks Haku.

"I don't think so," says Naruto. "I think he was part of an army. But it must have been a weird army because nobody got the same kind of sword."

Hatake starts at that and Zabuza-sama grunts in surprise. Haku can't imagine an army with enough wealth to personalize a weapon for each soldier. But given the amount of money Kurosaki-san and Ishida-sensei were willing to spend on a house for three people, maybe Haku shouldn't be surprised.

"Was Ishida-sensei in the army too?" asks Hatake.

"No," says Naruto.

Haku isn't the only one to glance at Naruto. That was an extremely firm denial. But Naruto doesn't look interested in explaining.

Instead he says, "Kakashi-sensei, now that I'm a clan head will ANBU stop watching our house all the time?"

Haku almost chokes on his tea, which manages to distract Zabuza and panic Naruto. Hatake-san looks caught-out in a way that suggests he might have once been an ANBU that spied on Naruto's house. Kurosaki-san finally pauses in his kata and looks for the source of the commotion.

"Everything okay over there?" he calls.

Zabuza-sama jumps to the ground and unsheathes Kubikiribocho. "You want to swing that sword against something other than air?" he calls clearly unwilling to accept no for an answer.

For all his teeth are flat, Kurosaki-san's smile is vicious enough to rival Zabuza-sama's at his best. "You're on."

Naruto jumps to his feet. "I've got to get Sasuke!"

Zabuza-sama and Kurosaki-san square off in the middle of the yard. As their swords clash, Haku can see Zabuza-sama grinning in anticipation of a good fight. The contented feeling that overwhelmed Haku at dawn returns and this time Haku embraces his happiness wholeheartedly. For the moment, Haku's most precious person is alive, safe, and happy, and so Haku can be no less.

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End.

If we're considering chapters as character P.O.V.s, then this is Haku's chapter despite all of the Ichigo stuff at the beginning. (Or, I wanted some world-building and Haku was happy to let me sit back and steal his thunder in a way Zabuza was not.)

When I was trying to find Kushina and Minato's genin teams, I discovered there's one screenshot of Minato as part of genin team and attached to that screenshot is the fan-theory that Teuchi was one of Minato's teammates. I took that theory and ran with it.


	8. Rivaling Kakashi Part 2

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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"Yo, Gai."

Kakashi materializes beside Gai just as he reaches the midway point of his lap around the village. He's walking on his hands working through one of his more challenging training routes. Gai typically uses chakra to complete this track and wants to determine if it can be done entirely without.

If so, Gai will show the path to Lee during their next one-on-one training session. If not, Gai will make some adjustments. Or perhaps, he and Lee can work together to figure out the best version of the non-chakra route. That way Gai can give Lee another lesson in how to incorporate the environment when creating his own training routines.

"My eternal rival, what can I do for you this glorious day?" asks Gai.

Gai hasn't bothered to flip upright—handstands strengthen the core muscles!—and Kakashi has never minded Gai's eccentricities. Kakashi's own are usually much worse. Though at the moment, his latest Icha Icha purchase is nowhere to be seen.

Kakashi isn't the sort to rock on his heels when nervous, but the stretch of silence is its own indicator of discomfort. Gai is perfectly willing to wait his rival out. If Kakashi came seeking him, then whatever is bothering him has to be important.

"I understand that your team is entering the Chunin Exam. But would you consider having a joint training session before that happens?" asks Kakashi.

Gai mulls over the request. While shinobi are never at 100% on missions, there's a tremendous advantage in going into the exam without any major injuries including the psychological benefit of feeling ready. Gai doesn't expect Kakashi's team to actively seek to harm his students, but accidents happen during training, especially shinobi training. Then Gai has to account for the possibility of one team losing to the other and what effect a loss will have on their morale.

"Trying to scope out the competition before the exam begin?" asks Gai only half-joking.

Reconnaissance is an essential shinobi skill. But leading up to the Chunin Exam, teams from the same village try to spy on teams from other villages rather than each other. Surely, Kakashi hasn't forgotten that much since his own promotion to chunin.

"Team 7 won't be entering the Chunin Exam this cycle," says Kakashi.

Gai does _not_ fall over, but it is a very near thing. If Kakashi isn't nominating Team 7, then he will be out of ANBU for at least another six months minimum, possibly for another year. Ever since the Fourth died, Kakashi's life has revolved around ANBU and serving the village to the best of his abilities. Even the Uchiha situation had only seen Kakashi sidelined for a week for a psychological evaluation. Everyone had assumed that Kakashi would try to shed his genin team at the first possible moment.

"Are they not ready?" asks Gai out of concern. Team 7 had completed a C-Rank mission that was reassigned as an A-Rank mission, but it was possible that Kakashi had done most of the heavy lifting.

"The kids are good for new genin," says Kakashi firmly. "And all three have specialities in which they can match low-level chunin. But I—" Kakashi hesitates ever-so briefly. Anyone less familiar with Kakashi might assume he is taking a breath if they notice the pause at all, but Gai knows better. Kakashi is conflicted about what he's going to say next. "—would like to see their skills develop further before entering them into the Chunin Exam."

Gai keeps his face even. It's a struggle because now is one of the few times he'd like to shout for joy, but he suspects that will drive Kakashi away. This is the first time in years that Gai has heard Kakashi talk about the future.

Apparently, Gai's silence is suspicious because Kakashi hastens to add, "And Sasuke and Naruto have both assumed positions as Clan Heads. They'll need extra time to learn their responsibilities."

"What!?" yelps Gai. This time he really does fall down, easing his collapse into a somersault, and bounding to his feet in one smooth motion. Kakashi claps politely as Gai sticks the landing.

"We had an exciting first mission outside the village," explains Kakashi.

"Yes," agrees Gai. For some reason, the first C-Rank of any Konoha shinobi always ends up more exciting than it should be. "I've heard rumors."

"Don't believe all of them. Zabuza and his apprentice are excellent houseguests and have never once suggested redecorating in blood," says Kakashi.

Gai's eyes widen involuntarily. It seems that Gai had incorrectly rejected the rumor of Team 7 bringing home an infamous missing-nin.

"Are they at your apartment?" asks Gai. He can't imagine Kakashi allowing foreign-nin into his private space no matter their circumstances.

Kakashi rolls his eye. "Zabuza and Haku are guests of the Uzumaki Clan. Ishida and Kurosaki agreed to let me stay at the house as an additional layer of security."

It seems the rumor that Kakashi had moved into his student's house was true as well. Though Gai suspects the part about Ishida-sensei and Kurosaki-san kidnapping Kakashi to have their wicked way with him is probably false. Gai decides not to think about it too much.

"Did you lose to a civilian in a swordfight too?" asks Gai instead. Sexual shenanigans aside, that was one of the more fantastic rumors being circulated among the jounin.

Kakashi plays it off by looking away but still says, "No one lost. Ishida-sensei made us stop since Zabuza and I were still recovering from Wave."

Gai isn't sure his ears are working correctly. Did Kakashi just admit that he and one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist had fought together against a civilian and hadn't managed an overwhelming victory? Surely not.

"Joint training," says Kakashi abruptly.

As Kakashi intends, Gai recalls the reason his rival approached him in the first place. "I do not think it would benefit my students to fight yours before the Chunin Exam. But perhaps in the month of training between the second and third stages?"

Kakashi nods. "That's understandable. I'll probably request another C-Rank mission. We should have more variety with the village occupied by the exam."

"My rival, do your best not to bring home any missing-nin while the Chunin Exam is ongoing," says Gai. "Konoha's security forces do not need any additional work."

"I'll tell Naruto no strays," drawls Kakashi. He pauses again. "Thanks for…"

Kakashi lazily waves a hand. It is a gesture Gai takes to mean "putting up with my shit" though his rival would never be uncool enough to say such a thing out loud.

Gai responds with a thumbs-up. "You are most welcome, my rival. I look forward to training with you and your team in the near future. For now, however, I must resume my task. Unless you wish to engage in challenge, that is."

"I'll let you get back to your training," says Kakashi lazily before he disappears in a swirl of leaves.

Once Gai is reasonably sure his rival is gone, he lets out a whoop of glee and indulges in a quadruple backflip before landing once more on his hands. Kakashi has decided to be a teacher to his genin team! This is fabulous news! It is exactly what Gai has been hoping for all these years.

Gai races forward in excitement. He will circle the village ten times on his hands. Then he will go find Lee and see if his student wishes to spar. Today Gai's flames of youth burn bright!

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End.

This is the transition chapter that wouldn't. But I hope it manages to convey some of the changes in Kakashi, even if Gai's perspective doesn't show us why those changes happen.

Thanks for reading. Please review!


	9. Rivaling Kakashi Part 3

All My Ghosts are at Rest

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Several months later, Gai makes the first of what will be many visits to the Uzumaki residence while in search of his Eternal Rival.

Gai wishes to consult with Kakashi about potential joint training between their teams before the next Chunin Exam. That's the answer he gives to the few who dare ask why Gai is searching for the Copy-Nin, and it's not a lie. But Team Kakashi has just returned from their first mission outside the village after the unfortunate journey to retrieve Tsunade. And while Gai has heard nothing that would indicate a problem, post-mission decompression can be just as difficult to handle as pre-mission nerves, even if nothing went wrong.

Kakashi is not at his own apartment despite the hour, which Gai belatedly realizes most people would consider early morning. Neither is Kakashi at the Memorial Stone nor is he at his father's gravestone, which Kakashi visits whenever he has to choose between the successful completion of his mission or the survival of his teammates. (Gai does not imagine a C-Rank assigned to a genin team could go so horribly wrong as that, but the last time Team 7 went out together they brought back the Demon of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza. And now Gai's desire to check-in on his Rival is Most Urgent!)

Thinking of the Kiri-nin reminds Gai that Kakashi spent many nights at the home of young Naruto when Zabuza and Haku first came to the village. The pair of Kiri-nin have their own official quarters now. But it would not surprise Gai if Kakashi has stayed the night again to watch over two-thirds of his genin team.

Gai spends little time in the civilian district of Konoha, but he knows exactly where Naruto's house is. Every shinobi who was alive and serving twelve years ago made sure to know exactly where Naruto lives no matter how much Sandaime Hokage would have wished otherwise. With shunshin, it takes a bare handful of moment to reach the residence in question, and once outside Gai can sense the familiar chakra of his Eternal Rival coming from within the home.

Gai touches down outside the gate just as Ishida-sensei is leaving for work. Even in this unguarded moment, Gai notes that the man moves with perfect control over his body. Gai desperately wishes to know how long the doctor has been training and in what style. But despite Lee's effusive praise of the man, part of Gai fears rousing this sleeping dragon.

"Good morning, Gai-sensei," says Ishida-sensei. He is watching Gai very carefully. He is not deploying the intimidating stare from their first interaction at the bar, yet Gai still imagines the doctor's piercing gaze examining the depths of his soul. "What brings you here?"

"Good morning, Ishida-sensei!" says Gai brightly. He will not be deterred by a scary look or two. Most of his friends and acquaintances are generally considered frightening even by shinobi standards. Gai himself has a reputation as the (Beautiful) Blue Beast of Konoha. "I was hoping to find Kakashi here before I began searching the hospital."

Ishida-sensei relaxes. He looks almost fond. Gai keeps his expression as friendly as possible as the feeling of intent in the air eases. It wasn't intent to kill, but Gai knows the man would have tried to put him down if he felt Gai was a serious threat. Much of the village's gossip has been focused on Kurosaki, understandable after the situation with Sasuke, but Gai needs to find out what people have been saying about the doctor. Lee is not an unbiased source.

"No need to search the hospital. Come inside." Ishida-sensei turns around without complaint and guides Gai into the house.

"We're back," he calls at the entrance.

"Did you forget something?" responds a voice from within.

"No," says Ishida-sensei leading Gai deeper into the residence. "Kakashi-sensei has a guest."

Gai follows the doctor into the dining area. Kakashi is seated at a low table across from Kurosaki-san. They're both sipping from mugs of tea. The rest of their breakfast dishes pushed aside to be dealt with later. Naruto sits between them, ink and paper spread in front of him, scratching away at a design for some kind of modified exploding tag. The other occupants of the house have yet to rouse themselves after what was presumably a late night.

Kakashi is not wearing his face mask. It takes at least a minute for Gai process this information. Gai has walked in unannounced to Kakashi's apartment at any and every hour of the day and night and, barring that one year the entire village was struck by the flu, never found Kakashi without his mask and usually in his uniform.

Now Kakashi's mask hangs loose around his neck. He's wearing a standard undershirt but also a loose pajama bottoms with a rainbow of henohenomoheji stitched into the cloth. His flak jacket is nowhere to be found, though he does have a few weapons strapped to his person.

Gai has never seen Kakashi so relaxed in his life.

"Good morning, Gai," says Kakashi when the silence starts to stretch.

"Good Morning, my Eternal Rival!" declares Gai. He tries to keep his voice down for the sake of any children who are still sleeping but Kurosaki-san still flinches badly. It is difficult for Gai to remain quiet in the face of this amazing news. "I have come to ascertain for myself that your Flames of Youth burn with full vigor! And to discuss Joint Training between our Most Wonderful Genin Teams!"

"I'm fine," says Kakashi.

He rolls his visible eye to Naruto, who has perked up at the mention of joint training. Naruto is staring eagerly at his jounin-sensei's face. He does not seem surprised by the bare skin or to comprehend the rarity of the sight, which tells Gai his rival's unmasked face is a common occurrence in the Uzumaki household.

"Team 7 could use some practice against other potential chunin if they're going to compete in the next exam," admits Kakashi.

"WOO-HOO!"

A happy Naruto is much louder than Gai could ever hope to be. He leaps into the air and just avoids hitting his head on the ceiling, if only because he was fully seated beforehand. Upon landing, Naruto launches half-tackle half-hug that almost knocks Kakashi over.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei! Wait 'til I tell Sasuke!" yells Naruto.

"Sasuke is still asleep—" Ishida-sensei doesn't even finish before Naruto races out of the room.

Gai can hear the boy's progress up the stairs and across the second floor. There's a bout of excited yelling, some much less excited shouting, and a loud crash followed by ominous silence.

"I'd better go check on them," sighs Ishida-sensei.

Kurosaki rises to his feet. "I'll take a look. You were on your way to work."

Gai finds himself suddenly alone with Kakashi, who is resettling himself after Naruto's well-meant attack. There's nothing to be done for Kakashi's hair but he straightens out his shirt, resets his weapons, and readjusts his eyepatch, worn for sleeping and much more comfortable than a hitai-ate. Gai sees the way Kakashi's fingers brush against the edge of his mask and then pass it by.

"Young Naruto's spirit veritably gleams with Flames of Youth!" exclaims Gai because otherwise he knows he will cry.

Kakashi isn't wearing his mask which means Kakashi feels safe. Gai can feel the tears of joy threatening to spill across his face at the very thought, and he struggles to keep them in check. Gai was not sure that Kakashi would ever feel safe again after losing so many precious people at such a young age.

"Naruto has inherited an excitable personality," says Kakashi. He sounds gruff but without the mask Gai can clearly see the fond smile on his rival's face. For once, remembering Kushina hasn't brought Kakashi more pain than joy.

It is entirely possible that Gai swoons, just a bit, at the sight.

"Sit down before you fall down," says Kakashi.

Gai drops as gracelessly as a jounin can into place at the table. He beams at Kakashi.

Kakashi eyes him suspiciously but doesn't send Gai away or reach for the mask again. "So, joint training? My kids don't have much experience against trained taijutsu users. But they're damned impressive with ninjutsu and traps."

Gai's smile broadens. Kakashi just referred to his team as his _kids_. Gai's Eternal Rival has most assuredly passed through the harsh Winter of Loss into the Springtime of Youth. Gai has no doubt his old friend Spirit of Fire will only shine brighter from now on! And Gai will be there to see it!

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End.

Gai is very excited for his Eternal Rival! I tried to reflect more of Gai's exuberancy in this chapter.

Also, there are a lot of things that happened between the last Gai chapter and this Gai chapter that I have not written about yet. I tried to reference some of them without being too obvious, but please understand that we have waved good-bye to the canon time-line at this point. (I may end up moving this chapter around as the relevant in-between chapters are written.)

Henohenomoheji is the derp-face drawn on Japanese scarecrows. Kakashi means scarecrow. Ishida hand-stitched Kakashi some novelty pajamas because he has mad skills and a lot of stress.

Thanks for reading! Please review!


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